Customer Reviews

Miles Davis - Miles in Paris [VHS]

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(This is - in part - an open letter to the makers of this DVD)
Upon viewing this DVD one realises that this particular recording was never meant for release on a such a high quality format as DVD. There is no Dolby 5.1, not even 2.0, but 'linear PCM' audio which sounds pretty poor quality to me. This was meant for hifi video at best, the picture quality is fairly poor and the sound is hissy during the quieter, more subtle moments and occasionally contains distortion of high range sounds, (crackling and popping during some horn and sax lines, probably due to a bad recording as we are not listening to vinyl!).

The set list is:
'Human Nature', 'Jilli', 'Hannibal', 'Don't Stop Me Now', 'Amandla', 'Tutu', 'Wrinkle', 'New Blues' and finishing with a very short 'Mr Pastorius'.

The DVD tracklisting, however is divided into 23 chapters! This is due to the annoying interviews which often intrude into the would-be concert experience. Yes, Miles Davis interviews are rare & interesting but PLEASE whack the interviews on the END of the disc with the special features (of which this disc has none), this is DVD guys! Two songs are actually interrupted by interviews, 'Hannibal' is split in two and 'Tutu' is split in three (when i say interrupted, i mean that the song is turned down and the main sound and vision is Davis being interviewed, similar to a director's commentary that you can't turn off!). Let us enjoy the concert as it would have been, not be annoyed by production oversights from the 1980's VHS that this was shot for!

With all that said you may be wondering about the concert itself, it is actually of the typically high standard set by the Davis group of this period.

Miles Davis often steps back and allows his hand picked young musicians to shine in the spotlight, those of you who are suprised by this might like to know that this was a characteristic of his live performances for this WHOLE period, not just this concert or these 3 MD DVDs (Live in: Paris/Montreal/Munich).

The regulars; Benny Rietveld (bass), Foley (lead bass), Ricky Wellman (drums) and the amazing Kenny Garret (sax/flute) are solid, they are complemented by Kei Akagi (Keys) and newcomer John Bingham (electric percussion).
The Kenny Garret solo in 'human nature' is good but before the end of the song he pulls away from the mic as if he has taken it to the edge, but then is backing away. I have seen him do much better, in a 1988 concert on video, he blows that sax right over the edge playing right to the end of the song and peaking at just the right moment with an extremely moving perfomance. All i was able to decipher from the details of that concert was "Miles Davis, Muncher Klaiversommer '88, Philharmonie Gastieg" and if anyone can translate or show me where to get THAT on DVD it would be most appreciative (im thinking Germany..). That German concert features an amazing Benny Rietveld bass solo, the same "regulars" mentioned above plus an (acoustic) percussionist and a different keyboardist. Maybe they were fresher in 1988, with more to proove, because that performance just had that little bit extra from the group.

So, in closing, you can never go wrong with a decent Miles Davis recording, this one especially for fans of "Amandla" and "Tutu", but, i would recommend trying out "Miles Davis - Live in Munich (1988)" and "Miles Davis - Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival" (as well as traking down that German concert video!) before you purchase this DVD.

thanx for reading,
Dylan

This is a funky and humorous collection of tape from the later part of the trumpeter's career. The video opens with a verson of Micheal Jackson's 'Human Nature', and this is clearly the high energy high light of the tape. Kenny Garret fans should definitely own this video, as his performance on flute and alto is especially impressive. Fans of 1980s jazz fusion in general should find this a treat. Miles plays very well considering he's over 60 years old. Although the video moves considerably slower after the first song, I still very much enjoyed the 9/8 groove of 'New Blues' and the thoughtful fusion ballad 'Mr. Pastorious'. In regaurd to solo space, there is not enough of Kei Akagi's keyboard playing and too much of Foley's lead bass work. The interview portions of the video are captivating and display a serious and compassionate side of perhaps the most dynamic and evolving musician who ever lived.

Miles Davis was a legend whose presence in jazz can never be emulated in this lifetime. Recorded during the 10th Paris Jazz Festival (Nov. 1989) this is a great concert video! It features 5 songs: "Human Nature", "Amandla", "Tutu", "New Blues" & "Mr. Pastorius".

His band is incredible and Miles lets them fly when time for their solos: Kenny Garrett on sax and flute, Benjamin Rietveld on bass, Joseph McCreary "Foley" on lead bass, Ricky Wellman on drums, John Bigham on electric percussion.

There are interview snippets between songs where he expounds on certain aspects of his life & career. Miles Davis has such a massive body of work, it's almost impossible to get everything but for those who want to see him doing what he does best in his later years, this video is for you. I always hear something new each time I play it and really enjoy the laid-back vibe throughout. Now if I can only get my hands on him performing "Jean Pierre" visually.

CLB.

I saw this band perform at Avery Fischer Hall and it was a very memorable performance. Some (like Wynton) like to dismiss Miles' work from this period, but I think some of the live work from Miles' latter period is very interesting to listen to. The improvision is there and the band members all have something to say. They fooled around w/ the song structure and certainly displayed quite a bit of chemistry. This video provides a nice document of one of Miles' better bands.

Miles was my climax for years on the Nothe Sea Jazz festival. He was the only one who could get a perfect sound in the hall.(with two stages) The atmosphere on the DVD is the same as I saw him live. One minor on the DVD is the interruption of some fine tunes with short interviews with Miles. For the rest...buy it.

I Got this Video a Couple Of Years Ago&I really Dug it.Miles Davis&Crew Sound Great.I Really Enjoyed The Way Miles&The Band Did The King Of Pop's Human Nature.it would make Michael Jackson Proud.The Interview Parts were a Trip.The Genius&Mind Of Miles Davis was One Of A Kind.His RIch TOnes&Arrangements are Essential Too The Ears.His Work&Vibe Are Timeless.WOrth Checking into.