Four & More [Original recording remastered]

Miles Davis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 15, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0007OP2CA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,319 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wild ride..., February 2, 2006

By 

Robert Bezimienny (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Four & More (Audio CD)

This session bristles with energy. The pace is exhilarating! Aside from the astonishing virtuosity, the sheer verve of the music is uplifting - literally - it's hard not to have both feet tapping and find yourself leaning towards the edge of your seat. The remastered sound is excellent - great depth and breadth to the sound-stage, punch and drive from the bass, clarity and bite in the upper registers without any digital harshness - terrific immediacy - the sister recording, "My Funny Valentine", shares these virtues.
*
Miles is supercharged throughout. He deploys staccato volleys and wavering glissandos, going for an urgency rarely equalled on other recordings. George Coleman is of the same spirit, although he prefers a more classical, clean delivery of his torrents of notes - in the liner essay Miles is quoted as judging this night to be Coleman's best-ever performance. The entire essay by John Ephland is very interesting and has many nice turns of thought - for example, "Imagine, if you can, the sheer ecstasy, the rush of playing faster than you can think, the magical, perfect blend of technique with feeling spiralling out this way and that." A good summation of the listening experience. Tony Williams is a dynamic powerhouse - coupled with Ron Carter, the rhythm is impossible to ignore. In this context, Herbie Hancock is in danger of being overwhelmed, and while his work is fine and adds to the fire, this is not the best showcase of his wide talents.
*
The selection of these tracks from the February 1964 night at the Lincoln centre makes for a wild and exhausting listen - mixed with a few of the more reflective numbers played that night, from "My Funny Valentine", the ride becomes more comfortable and even more engaging. A stunning night's music.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Light Speed Jazz, February 28, 2009

By 

Robert Moran "remoran" (Redding, CT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Four & More (Audio CD)

I saw Miles play at least 10 times but sadly, not on the night of February 12, 1964 at Lincoln Center, the night his group created light speed jazz at tempos bordering on the unconscious. Tony Williams, the 18 year old prodigy, just took over and made these guys move in a way that simply is astonishing given just how experienced and talented a group this truly was. Every time I listen to this, I am struck by the spacing and openness of the sound and the power this group had in playing tunes they know by heart. It is a masterpiece that, in a round about way, is an up tempo salute to Kind of Blue, the greatest jazz album of all time as many of the compositions here are the same ones that Miles and Bill Evans penned for the earlier work. Absolutely one of the best jazz albums Davis ever did in this humble reviewer's opinion.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another summit, February 29, 2008

By 

B. J Robbins (La Quinta, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Four & More (Audio CD)

Well, here goes. I like this album better than "Kind of Blue". Certainly, the personnel is its equal. A 19 year old Tony Williams is brilliant on percussion, setting a new standard for jazz drumming. A young Herbie Hancock, is wonderful on piano, at times playing sensitively, at other times very muscular, with a complex harmonic and melodic sense. And Ron Carter fills Paul Chambers' shoes quite adequately, actually much better than adequately; he is a joy to listen to. Miles? Well, he has never sounded better. How many times has he played "My Funny Valentine"? A million? Here, he has never played it better, like it was his first time. From his melody statement, and then solo, he brings out his bag of effects, half valved notes, mumbles, and the rest to produce a performance without peer.

George Coleman? Well, he is certainly no John Coltrane, but he does not try to be. If you listen to him, he is a unique blend of Hawk and Prez, with the sharp tone of Hawkins and the laid back rhythm at times of Prez. He can certainly run the changes, but he also capable of extremely lyrical passages.

Tony Williams is the driving force. He is much more subtle than Philly Joe, and his drumming is much more interesting. He is fascinating to listen to.

Ron Carter is a superb bassist and owes no one any apologies. As was the custom back then, the bass was another voice in the group, not just a time keeper, and Carter does it better than anyone, with uncanny intonation and feel.

The whole is much more than the sum of its incredible parts here, and that is why this concert was so great, and why this album belongs in any Miles Davis lover's collection. I bought the LP some 40 years ago, and the playing sounds as fresh and luminous as it did back then.

There were 865 reviews of "Kind of Blue" and 3 of this album. "Blue" was a landmark. But so was this album. As Miles (among others) said: "There are only two kinds of music. Good music and bad music." This here music is GGRREEAATTT!!!