Evolution Of The Groove (Ep)

Miles Davis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 28, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000SUKPMU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,861 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Evolution of the Groove (Digipack Packaging, Extended Play) Miles Davis Label: Sony Release Date: 8/21/2007 1 Freddie Freeloader [#][Outtake][Mix] - 1:18 2 Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution of the Groove) [Mix] - 2:56 3 It's About That Time [Mix] - 4:53 4 Honky Tonk [Mix] - 2:39 5 Black Satin [Mix] - 2:44

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Remixed signals..., August 22, 2007

By 

J. Lund "jazzbrat" (SoCal, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evolution Of The Groove (Ep) (Audio CD)

EVOLUTION OF THE GROOVE is a remix project organized by executive producers Steve Berkowitz and Vince Wilburn Jr. (Miles' nephew), using Miles Davis recording sessions as their foundation. What is odd about this E.P. is its uncomfortably short 14 1/2 minute total playing time, as well as some of the contents. Beyond that are some interesting musical moments, though. Track one is merely a minute-long fragment of "Freddie Freeloader" from the KIND OF BLUE session reels. You hear Miles talking in-between several alternate takes that are nothing more than false starts. It's so inconsequential that it wasn't even included on the "complete" boxed set covering this period. I suppose it leads off here with the intention of linking an early Miles Davis recording (from 1959) with the current project via its cut-and-paste feel, but the lack of musical substance is what sticks out the most. However, EOTG then starts to pick up some momentum, albeit diminished by too-short running times.

"Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution Of The Groove)" cuts up and redistributes samples from the original 1967 recording as well as that of Miles' speaking voice (primarily singing the melody line during a rehearsal). Add to that Nas' topical rap and an impressive cast of musicians (including Geri Allen, Victor Bailey, Olu Dara, and Wilburn Jr.) creating a partly-live, partly-programmed groove. What leaves me wanting more is that it's a short track (2:56) that doesn't give the newly-assembled team of musicians a chance to really get in the game via individual statements such as solos, which is something one could reasonably expect from a Miles Davis-related project. "It's About That Time" is the album's longest track (4:53), with an edit of the original recording being most of what one hears, but updated primarily via some effective lead guitar work by Carlos Santana and a repetitive drum loop. The cut ends unpredictably with Miles' wah-wah trumpet lifted from "Black Satin."

As with track two, the last pair of cuts (Honky Tonk" and "Black Satin") are painfully brief (2:39 and 2:44). With the likes of guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and multi-instrumentalist Charley Drayton leading the way, recognizable bits of the original recordings are used as samples interwoven into new grooves. Several vintage Miles solos are layered into the mix in a manner that hooks the listener up with the artist's distinctive instrumental voice. Yet what stands out is that the remixers don't merely drop a rhythm loop or a horn track into a generic-sounding mix. Rather they ambitiously create an individualistic wall-of-sound that offers a credible approximation of what Davis' music might sound like if he were alive and musically active in 2007. Unfortunately, the fade-outs are so quick that the results seem to tease more than deliver a truly satisfying musical experience.

The bottom line is that EOTG is not an essential addition to Miles' legacy, but suggests in abbreviated form that there is an opening though which remixers attuned to his musical approach can navigate and produce results that arguably serve as a worthy postscript to Davis' original recordings. The fact that Miles' electric-era music was originally recorded with post-production in mind makes it more worthy of a remix project than most other recent remixes of jazz recordings (particularly those of traditional performances). If the plusses mentioned above outweigh the minuses in a potential purchaser's mind, then this low-priced E.P. is worth checking out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars underrated, September 8, 2007

By 

these aren't my reviews (An Amazon Nightmare, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evolution Of The Groove (Ep) (Audio CD)

This release is very interesting - it attempts to approximate what Miles could have sounded like in today's world and musical language, taking clips from the late 50's up to the early 70's. My only mild complaint is that they didn't go with something from the late 80's/early 90's as one additional closing track. A remix of Human Nature or Time After Time, or similar, could have given the disc a more complete feel. As it is, the opening cut is a pleasurable brief glimpse at Miles the bandleader, shaping the sound of Kind of Blue in that odd, unique verbal cue fashion that only Miles could muster. The additions of Nas and Carlos Santana stand out, and all of the included remixes are effective. If like me, you find something of major worth in all of Miles' periods, this is a nice disc to have, though they could have made it a bit longer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miles for the 21st Century, September 19, 2007

By 

GojiraBasu (New Hampster) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Evolution Of The Groove (Ep) (Audio CD)

This is how you want to make a musical tribute to Miles. While I wish Evolution Of The Groove was a full length CD, this EP is a totally enjoyable listening experience from beginning to end. Taking today's sounds and grooves, and mixing them with the original innovations that Miles was responsible for, makes his work sound completely fresh. Like the Bill Laswell reconstruction CDs, it's a great way to introduce Miles' music to the next generation. I'm hoping for some more of this stuff soon.