Filles De Killimanjaro

Miles Davis, A. Davis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 20, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000273J
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,349 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very important transitional lp, September 24, 2000

By 

Sean M. Kelly (Portland, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Filles De Killimanjaro (Audio CD)

From 1968, "Filles de Kilmanjaro" ... Miles in a familiar position- that of a restless musician who is shedding old skin and exposing himself while the new skin grows.

The band is in flux- Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter are leaving the group,(though Hancock will reocrd with Miles again) and Tony Williams is starting to form his pioneering fusion group, Lifetime. Miles and Shorter are both writing new tunes at a frantic pace, and both are spreading the barriers of the band to electric sounds (which is increasingly isolating Ron Carter, who dislikes the electric concept).

This lp showcases the last of the old quintet, and the metamorphisis, with Dave Holland and Chick Corea, to the new, experimental band that will blossom on "In a Silent Way."

The reocrdings need to be listened to to gain its full beauty, its power and grace. And its importance. A gorgeous lp.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Filles De Kilimanjaro- The Beginnings Of Jazz-Rock, April 25, 2001

By 

Aaron Rogers (Eau Claire, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Filles De Killimanjaro (Audio CD)

Miles Davis's "Filles De Kilimanjaro" is unlike any of the ingenious trumpeter's albums from the 1960's because it represents a new period in jazz history: the beginnigs of electric jazz. Most of the personnel on this album are from his 1960's quintet(Shorter, Hancock, Carter,and Williams); although on two songs,"Petits Machins" and "Mademoiselle Mabry", Miles gathered bassist Dave Holland and pianist Chick Corea.

All the songs on "Filles De Kilimanjaro" are good. The first song "Frelon Brun"(which sounds alot like James Brown)starts out with Carter's heavy, electric bass which seems to punch the beat against the rest of the players. Hancock's piano solo on "Frelon Brun" is incredible because at times he's so fast yet percise!

The title track of "Filles De Kilimanjaro" is great to relaxed with because it has a soft feel throughout the whole song. The song is in Afro-Cuban form so it is light and rhythmic. Chick Corea's solo on the title track is colorful and extremely playful. At one point, Corea creates sheets of rain with his notes!

The gem of this album is it's last song, "Mademoiselle Mabry". Chick Corea and Tony Williams shine together on "Mademoiselle Mabry". Their playing is phenomenal; Corea plays a constant theme of rhythm on an electric piano while Williams mixes intricate drum polyrhythms. It's almost as if Williams is drum soloing over Corea's piano playing!

The other two songs on "Filles De Kilimanjaro" are worth buying the album. Throughout the whole album, Miles Davis plays smooth as he always did. Davis fires out short, blues phrases on his trumpet like a late 1960's blues-rock guitarist.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vital Music From a Great, Great Band., June 26, 1998

By 

Richard Thurston (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Filles De Killimanjaro (Audio CD)

'Filles de Kilimanjaro'is my personal favorite of the mid 60's quintet's studio albums. This recording is the transition between the great acoustic quintet and the electric band which was to appear on 'In A Silent Way'. In fact, the personnel changes on a couple of cuts of this disc with the addition of Chick Corea on electric piano and David Holland on the electric bass.

However, while sort of interesting historically, the personnel issues are secondary to the music itself. While the instrumentation was about to change the music itself was also undergoing serious rethinking. Moving away from 'tunes' the recordings (as would the live performances), beginning here, were to become suitelike.

I have always imagined this recording with the drummer Tony Williams really taking hold of the group and leading them off into very new musical terrain. From thundering polyrhythms to simple strokes on the highhat cymbal, the percussion component of this music is truly memorable. The soloists, Herbie Hancock on piano, Miles and the saxophonist Wayne Shorter play beautifully. It is Shorter however who really impresses. His tenor saxophone work here has a breathy, elastic quality the likes of which I have rarely heard before or since. Essential music.