Customer Reviews

Porgy & Bess

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Look closely to see what is being written about Miles Davis' Porgy & Bess, and see how sometimes words fail us all. You will find words like: "Must-have", "best" superb" and the like. But they simply cannot do justice to this fabulous piece of music.

This may be the best collaboration of Davis and Gil Evans. When you add the gifts that they have shown on their other work to a combination with the Brothers Gershwin, you understandibly come up with something splendid, notwithstanding the fact that Gershwin and Davis could not have been different sociologically as they could have been.

The melodies here are comfortably familiar to anyone with more than a passing knowledge of American music, because they have been done so often by such a diverse group of performers. However, the minimalist playing of Miles Davis, combined with the musical tapestry created by Evans makes this wonderful music new again.

Hearing the trumpet of Miles Davis in the familiar strains of "Summertime" would make both Louis Armstrong and even Gabriel put down their horns and say "wow".

No music collection can be considered complete without this epic.

I write this review as a confessed jazz amateur.

That said, this is some of the most beautiful music I am aware of .

Miles Davis employs a sensativity and subtlty that defy desription.

I would not be the first of his fans to be awed by his almost pervasive minimalism, but I am constantly chilled (in a most positive way) by the startling sound that appears from the black silence he paints.

Samuel Beckett once wrote that "...every word is a stain on silence and nothingness..." certainly Davis has taken this thought to heart.

Like a negative contour sketch that highlights the empty space, Davis dances around the silence, telling only enough of a musical story to leave you begging for more.

Whether or not "Porgy and Bess," sounds as Gershwin intended is largely irrelavent, because it sounds very much as Davis intended, and that makes this a fabulous recording.

For centuries, it was common for classical composers to display their virtuosity by creating variations on famous operas, such as Beethoven on 'The Magic Flute', or Liszt on Bellini. This lost art in the 20th century has been taken over by jazz musicians, the opera of choice being, naturally enough, Gershwin's 'Porgy and Bess', that innovative explosion of classical and jazz.
Miles Davis' and Gil Evans' restructuring the narrative or song order of 'Porgy and Bess' is the most obvious hint of the total reworking and reimagining they effect here. Indeed, this recording is closer to Ravel than Gershwin - as in a piece like 'La Valse', popular material retains its points of reference, but is put through a deconstructing blender, dismantled, fractured, restructured. Like Ravel, Evans' orchestration is not lush, soft or soothing, but brittle, jerky and piercing, with Miles' understated, melancholy playing centring the work's heart. Songs from the opera which are upbeat, poppy, such as 'It Ain't Necessarily So', become expansive, ruminative; while tragic, deeply sorrowful songs, like the lament 'Gone', become in Evans' hands a propulsive, rhythmic monster. This is 'Porgy and Bess' shot in film noir, full of menace, anxiety, dark colour - the 'Buzzard song' is an appropriately unseeting, dread-ful opening. The opera's best moment, is appropriately this album's too: the love duet, 'Bess You is my woman now', expanding on the desperation and hints of desolation behind the warmth of the original.

" The greatest music of the past, " wrote George Gershwin, "...has always been built on folk music. Jazz I regard as an American folk music, not the only one but a very beautiful one which is the blood and feeling of the American people. " That being said, Miles Davis/Gil Evans second collaboration " Porgy and Bess " is without a doubt, for me, their strongest, most passionate effort ever released by this incredible duo. A 'musical marriage' that would eventually produce four albums....each and everyone a classic in it's own way. But with " Porgy...." being my absolute favorite ( which must be rather like attempting to decide which one of your children you care for most! ) I thought a review might be one way of showing my respect.... and my admiration for each of these 'giants' in the field of jazz.

Gil Evans had always considered Miles to be his musical 'alter-ego' ( and best friend ) but with the eventual teaming of these two very contrasting personalities ( Miles ever volitale and Gil always soft spoken ) brought rewards due to their unique understanding of what the other was searching for in the studio. Beginning the disc with " Buzzard Song " which has the entire 18 piece ensemble blaring the intro Miles takes the melody and propels the bluesy track into a sort of mid-tempo shuffle that sets the playful yet down to earth tone of this amazing disc. And while there are many highlights to be found, " Summertime " I suspect would be the stand-out track for it's raw simplicity yet it's supple yearning that Mile's gives the song. I know the word 'definitive' is vastly over-used but in this case.... Other stand-outs, at least for me, must include " Bess, You Is My Woman Now " a bluesy number that while incredibly poignant, feels also strangly yearning as well. The other selection that is a must hear would be " Gone " a true piece of be ensemble style jazz at it's very best and adds a wonderful contrast to a disc that is beautiful in it's starkness yet eloquent understanding of this classic. My personal favorite would have to be " Prayer " which shows Miles at his personal best, reveling in the songs almost death march tempo yet allowing a mourful, heartwrenching beauty to escape from his trumpet. Ultimately the entire ensemble brings everything home with a crescendo that is boisterous yet never out of control. A hearbreaking jazz piece that is second only to John Coltrane's " Alabama. "

Perhaps what makes this disc so remarkable is simply due to contrasts. While Mile's musicianship has never sounded more soulfull ( Porgy and Bess, I feel, is taylor-made for his style of playing ) it might be considered Gil Evans who is the real cornerstone of this project. Gil is able to shape and add color to each song by simply knowing when to 'add or subtract' instruments when searching for how each track should feel and what each song is trying to state. For me this is Gil Evans at his creative best, in clear control yet extremely subtle in how he fashions every track to absolute perfection. And, not discounting Ella's and Louis Armstrongs rendition of this classic, this is an essential part of my jazz collection. Subtle, eloquent, with a quiet self-respect yet ultimately 'American'.... maybe that's the glory of " Porgy and Bess. "

I admit, I do not hold George Gershwin in high regard, but this album is a provocative and innovative example of a musical collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans that provided a sound so different it shook the jazz world. After hearing legendary Miles on his trumpet in the song "Fishermen, Strawberry and Devil Crab", I had to turn off my stereo because I could not fathom hearing anything else more beautiful and rich sounding after that.

I've been listening to jazz for quite some time but eveytime I think I've heard every composition or piece by Miles, I get surprised again. This CD was no exception.

The great thing about Miles Davis was that his trumpet playing was so transcendent. He's probably the only jazz player whose albums frequently appear in top 100 rock lists. I fail to see how anyone could not take the lilting sentiments of 'Porgy & Bess' to heart no matter what your musical tastes.

The 'Buzzard Song' opens the album with a grooving bass line by Paul Chambers, cleverly imitated by a tuba that follows suit (how many albums have you heard with a grooving tuba?). Then the lyrical note changes of 'Bess, You Is My Woman', before one of the highlights of the album, 'Gone'. This is something of a departure from Gershwin's opera itself, but the backing players relish the opportunity for some pure jazz playing, topped off with Jones's ramshakle drum playing. The power of 'Summertime' has much to do with its basic composition, which is at once both strong and tender and lends itself to so many interpretations. On this version the musical backing acts as a counter to Davis's elegant soloing. 'Oh Bess, where's my Bess' proves to be the most uplifting of these tracks while 'Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)' contains character-filled contributions from all the players building to a monumental crescendo.

'Fisherman....' begins with the evocative alto flute of Danny Banks, floating above a slight air of menance in the backing arrangement. The straining lament of 'My Man's Gone Now' is followed by the great toe-tapping swing arrangement of 'It Ain't Necessarily So'. Gil Evans arrangements do much to colour Davis's trumpet playing as in 'Here Comes de Honey Man'.

The final highlight 'There's A Boat Leaving Soon For New York' sounds unstoppable and effusive, a clear joy for all involved. Each individual player becomes Miles Davis's equal in this explosive finale. Again I have to mention the universal appeal of Miles Davis's work, whether indulging in a simple, lazy melody or bringing subtle nuances to the fore, his playing is wonderfully haunting.

Miles Davis, the restless innovator of the jazz world created four albums with one of his favourite musical collaborators, Gil Evans. Their first was "Miles Ahead", that featured a clever continuous suite filled with cool toned big band music focussing on Miles's soloing. "Sketches of Spain" was their most ambitious (and in my opinion the best); featuring the lengthy Concierto De Aranjuez (Adagio) and some of the most challenging songs Miles ever played. The last album ("Quiet Nights") was a bit of a flop, especially since Miles and Gil never even wanted to release it.

Their biggest success came with Porgy and Bess, the famed musical written by Gershwin. It became the in thing in the 1950s to record a jazz version of the operatic masterpiece, many of which have now disappeared. Miles's version has been an enduring favourite amongst his albums. From the opening "Buzzard Song" with its bass/tuba duet, we are getting an album that is faithful to the genius of Gershwin whilst still allowing the Miles and Gil to bring something new to the table.

The albums sold almost as well as "Kind of Blue" in its day and is probably the best known of the Gil Evans collaborations. What gives it even more power is the fact that the only other version that come close to it is the vocal version by Armstrong and Ella. A must have for any Miles Davis collection.

As a final point; this album's "My Man's Gone Now" would be one of the only songs Miles would perform in his 1980s Fusion years that dated from the period (apart from the famed concert with Quincy Jones, but that is another story).

I'll confess, I'm a jazz novice, having just been educated by Ken Burns' "Jazz" documentary. But this album is a tutorial in great trumpeting within itself. If you want something smooth to do read to, do homework, write e-mails, take a bath... this is it. The man was a genius with his trumpet and the orchestration still sounds fresh today. The quality is excellent. If you're even considering getting it, buy it. Anyone with any interest in music should own this.

If you can't have a jazz collection without Kind of Blue, then you certainly can't have a Miles Davis collection without Porgy and Bess. This is the best arrangement of Porgy and Bess tunes (from the original by my favorite composer Gershwin), and it's also one of my favorite Miles albums. He wails, and while this whole album has no words, you can get the feeling of each tune and you can tell what they're supposed to be about.

Miles was a genious, and this album is no exception. I think it's one of the best of his career.

This cd is wonderful! There's nothing like listening to this disk with a window open and the curtains blowing, at sunset in the summertime.

Miles did a wonderful job with putting the music to Porgy and Bess to his own style. The way that each song is played is astounding. A cool cd to listen to if you just want to hang out, or if you need something to help you unwind.

This cd has sassy songs, slow songs- nothing but wonderful songs. Miles did a wonderful job with this piece.

If you don't already have it, I suggest you get it- but that's only if you appreciate quality music.