Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track) [Original recording remastered]

Miles Davis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 20, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00006GO9K
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,462 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)

2. Tout de Suite

3. Petits Machins (Little Stuff)

4. Filles de Kilmanjaro

5. Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

6. Tout De Suite (Alternate Take)

Editorial Reviews

DAVIS MILES FILLES DE KILIMANJARO

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't overlook a MAJOR masterwork, June 10, 2003

By 

G B (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track) (Audio CD)

Filles de Kilimanjaro has an odd pedigree for an "album" -- it was recorded in two different sessions, featuring two different lineups. As a result, in their box-set-everything-Miles-recorded campaign, Sony/Legacy split this album across two boxed sets. That's really unfortunate, because these recordings really work well together, and as an ALBUM this is one of the highest peaks in Miles Davis's career.

The three middle tracks ("Tout de Suite", "Petit Machins", "Filles de Kilimanjaro") were the last recordings of the 2nd Quintet with Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock. These five musicians played great on nearly all their recordings, but here they are really incredible. And the MVP has to be Tony Williams, who supplies the music with lots of extra juice. "Tout" combines mellow, Gil Evans arranged outer sections with an explosive rock middle section; Miles and Wayne play off the fireworks of Tony's drumming. "Petit Machins" is the most conventional melody here, but the improvisation afterward is open-ended. The title track has a gorgeous, dreamy melody a la "Footprints" or "Masqualero".

"Frelon Brun" and "Mademoiselle Mabry" were recorded three months later with Chick Corea and Dave Holland replacing Herbie and Ron. "Frelon Brun" is surely one of the best boogaloos ever recorded: intense solos by Wayne and Miles, Chick's spiky comping behind them, and Tony Williams going completely crazy underneath. "Mademoiselle Mabry", on the other hand, initially seems like a bunch of languid, bluesy phrases (including a nod to Jimi Hendrix's "Wind Cries Mary") played by Chick and Dave under Miles's statement of the melody. But eventually you realize that these phrases form the frame of the song, repeated over and over while Miles, Wayne and Chick paint beautiful, unhurried solo statements over it. Tony doesn't "drum" here, instead commenting irregularly but respectfully when the music merits it. And then the tune ends just like it started, with Miles playing the melody.

This is a major masterwork, a collection of five magical experiences captured in the studio. It's an album that maintains jazz's approach to improvisation, but fuses it with electric piano and rock and soul grooves in a way that's rarely been done since. Miles moved in the rock and soul direction more decisively with In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew (both wonderful albums) but unfortunately never explored the peaks of Kilimanjaro again.

One final note: this "deluxe" edition contains an interesting alternate take of "Tout de Suite" that maintains the original groove throughout.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great transitional album, from old to new Miles, February 5, 2003

By 

Michel Aaij (Montgomery, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track) (Audio CD)

For me also this has been a longtime-favorite, even though, as other reviewers have said, not often recognized by everyone. In all aspects this marks a transition. The Fender Rhodes is used here for the first time, and to great effect--Herbie Hancock knows what he is doing, maximizing the funky effect and bell-like clarity of the instrument by not playing it too much. A tune like "Tout de Suite" showcases Hancock's rich economy: he uses the Rhodes almost like a percussive instrument. On "Frelon Brun," the Rhodes plays a different part in the rhythm section, almost as an electric bass, and it is funky, y'all.

The album is also a transition in terms of composition, as was "Sorcerer," recorded the year before. The five Davis-originals foreshadow what was to come, and the songs Wayne Shorter wrote for that earlier album seem to have influenced Davis here. Polyrhythmic and polyharmonic (is that a word?), these songs, more than those on "Sorcerer," played with more or less traditional jazz instrumentation, look ahead to the kind of free jazz/funk/rock displayed on "In A Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew."

My favorite is "Petits Machins," which combines just about everything I like about this music and particularly these musicians. The theme is great and played with tremendous energy. Davis's trumpet initially sounds cool and detached, but the intellectual sparsity gives way to great emotion. He makes it sounds so easy, seemingly playing beyond all measure while being in total control. Typically Miles, the final bars of the song repeat the theme with immense sadness, as if the dream is over, and I have the feeling he is quoting these lines in 1986, on "Tutu" (listen to "Tomaas"). The song's drumtrack alone is worth the price of the CD--Tony Williams does all of this, I think, on just a bass, a snare, and a ride. Whatever it was that made Davis hire him in 1962 or 63, when Williams was, you know, like seventeen years old, it was heaven-sent.

I really can't tell you how much I like this album, and perhaps this is not a CD for the multitudes, but you might give it a try. Certainly these are "Directions in Music."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A strong and very underrated album, January 2, 2004

By 

John Alapick (Wilkes-Barre, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track) (Audio CD)

Filles De Kilimanjaro would be Miles Davis' last album with his second great quintet and pointed the way towards the jazz-fusion of his next album In A Silent Way. This album also marked the debut of bassist Dave Holland and keyboardist Chick Corea on the tracks "Frelon Brun" and "Mademoiselle Mabry." This album, along with their previous album Miles In The Sky, introduced the electric instruments and longer compositions that came to define fusion.

The opening track "Frelon Brun" is the only track which resembles the hard-bop of the Miles Smiles and E.S.P. albums. Although Corea, Davis, and Wayne Shorter all have impressive solos here, it's drummer Tony Williams who truly carries the track with his extremely busy drumming. "Tout De Suite" is an excellent track which starts out very subdued. Then with Williams' drumming gaining more momentum, Davis and Shorter both lend excellent solos to the track. Miles' solos are extremely impressive throughout the album possibly due to the exciting direction his music was going in. Herbie Hancock's solo on this track is also a highlight. "Petits Machins (Little Stuff)" is more of the same although it holds none of the subtlety of "Tout De Suite." The title track is the most memorable one here and is carried by Ron Carter's inventive bass playing. This track, as well as "Mademoiselle Mabry", which hints at Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", are the most subtle ones here concentrating more on space rather than intense soloing. This album is usually overlooked because it preceded In A Silent Way. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding album and arguably the best of Miles' second great quintet. Highly recommended.