Customer Reviews

Sorcerer (Reis)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

May 1967 was the beginning of an amazing burst of studio creativity for Miles Davis; the first recordings in that burst are on this album. Sorcerer is even darker and moodier than its predecessor, Miles Smiles. (And even for a Miles Davis album, this is very moody and very dark.) It features less memorable tunes but the improvisations go even further away from the jazz mainstream. "Masqualero", a Wayne Shorter tune, is essentially an anything-goes performance with a Spanish tinge; there's a lot of fireworks in Miles's solo as the rhythm section rumbles under him, and Herbie Hancock's solo is a textbook example of tension and release. Another one of Shorter's compositions, "Vonetta", takes a quirky ballad and marries it to martial drumming by Tony Williams. There's also "Pee Wee", a Williams ballad with some beautiful playing. The other three tunes are similar -- haunting, dreamy themes coupled with complex group interaction. "Nothing Like You" is an odd vocal tune, a leftover from Gil Evans/Miles Davis sessions five years later that offers a bit of comic relief after the ominous music that precedes it; and two alternate takes ("Masqualero" and "Limbo") round out the album. If you like Miles Smiles and E.S.P., this is essential. But try those albums first.

Released between 2 of the quinetet's greatest efforts ("Miles Smiles," and "Nefertiti") is "Sorcerer," one of the band's most underrated efforts, but no less amazing.

I got this lp when I was 17 (1987), and as soon as I saw the cover- that beautiful, powerful, dignified, photo of Cicely Tyson- I KNEW what lay inside. And I was right- music that is dark, powerful, dignified.

The power of the album starts with Wayne Shorter and his compositions (he wrote all but the oddly out of place "Nothing Like You," the title track, penned by Hancock, and "Pee-Wee," a Tony Williams effort). Shorter's skills have blossomed during his tenure with Miles- especially his lyrical sensibilities. "Limbo," for example, is both a lyrical wonder yet still a powerful forum for Tony Williams, who was on fire. "Masqualero" is one of Shorter's darker pieces, with its recurrent theme. The soloists are allowed to explore as Herbie and Ron play around with the tempos, changing them as they go. "Vonetta" is much the same way. "Prince of Darkness" is a rather conventional song structure but with this band, nothing remained conventional for long, as the results show....

Hancock and Williams each contribute a number for the lp, and in the case of Williams' "Pee Wee," a rarity- a quartet setting on his ballad, as Miles chooses to not play. Known as the driving force of the group, "Pee Wee" (his first songwriting contribution to the group) shows a softer side of Williams that is refreshing...

The collection shows a work in progress. The band is by this time fully integrated, on the loose, and, as always, restless, eager to try new things, grow. The picture of Tyson on the cover also shows that- she is free and not afraid to show it. The band has yet to reach its pinnacle with "Nefertiti," but shows great progress on this underrated gem.

An amazing effort.

Sorcerer shows the second Miles Davis Quintet continuing to push the envelope musically. While the tracks are not as memorable overall as those as on their previous release, Miles Smiles, the music on Sorcerer is more adventurous and the interplay is very impressive. The fiery "Prince of Darkness" is a great opener as Davis has a great expressive solo while Shorter's solo is more dramatic and features many rapid flurries of notes. "Pee Wee" is another strong track that is soothing and contains some creative bass playing from Ron Carter. "Masqualero" is an awesome tune with mood swings throughout and Tony Williams' drumming mirroring those changes. The title track is a killer as Davis and Shorter effortlessly trade off solos before Hancock lays down a wicked solo of his own. "Limbo" is another great hard bop tune that mellows down big time near the end. "Vonetta" is pretty laid back but stays interesting due to Hancock's sparse playing and Williams' drum fills. Sorcerer then takes a strange twist with "Nothing Like You" featuring the distinctive vocals of legendary pianist Bob Dorough. The remastered version also includes alternate takes of "Masqualero" and "Limbo." All told, while not quite on the level of Miles Smiles or Filles de Kilimanjaro, Sorcerer shows the Miles Davis Quintet really coming in their own musically as Davis' road to what would become fusion continues.

To me, the most astonishing thing on this album is Tony Williams's drumming; he distorts the beat almost everywhere and adds an nearly infinite treasure of drumming colors. The solo parts by Miles, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock are played very freely, supported by Ron Carter (was it Miles who said about him that he played "as if he played duets with himself"?) and that drum sorcerer.

Most of the compositions are by Wayne Shorter, and he does a good job (listen to "Prince of Darkness" or "Masqualero"!). A very surprising piece of music is "Nothing like You": it's from a session with Gil Evans and singer Bob Dorough that had taken place five years before; nobody knows the reason why Miles chose this song for his album.

Columbia added two alternate takes. I'm sure that I'll have a close look at them. Buy this album, it is some of the most precious music I know.

This is my favorite miles davis album. I always come back to this one. I like every track on here except for "Nothing like you". I agree with daniel miles in that it spoils the mood of the album and I cannot stand the singing voice. Regardless, I believe that the rest of the album is wonderful.

I love the tone of Mile's horn, the rhythm, the dark melodies that are amazingly colorful and complex. The way the instruments can clash, then come together so beautifully. It is like nothing I have ever heard before and it takes me away to a dark mysterious place. I turn out all the lights, put this on and listen and get swept away.

There is just something about the quintet that I love. I love ESP, water babies and Nefertiti, but something about Sorcerer calls to me unlike any of the others and the magic hasn't worn off over the years. With every listen I find something new to make me smile.

I'll admit, this record didn't move me for a long time. The playing is dark and sparse. But I finally hit the proper wavelength - if you can hear the compositions' relationship to the blues, you can appreciate what the musicians have hit upon here (in their third album together). I think it might be their high point.

Wayne Shorter's brilliant, moody compositions are the album's foundation, and the players stack tasteful ensemble playing on top of that foundation. Tony Williams isn't overplaying especially drastically yet (on drums), and the players all shine through - in a dark, minor-key way. It's great music. It can't be improved on; like "Kind of Blue" and several of Miles' other recordings, it represents a kind of perfection. The bonus tracks are worth hearing, and only add to this.

Even if you end up hating every other song on this album, Masquerelo is still worth the 13 dollars you'll pay for it. Buy it just for Ron Carter's bass playing. Ron shines on this song, especially during Wayne, and Herbie's solos.
It took a while for the rest of the songs to grow on me, but once they did I ended up liking this album. Though it's not Miles Smiles or E.S.P., it's still an album worth having.

I wholeheartedly agree with the reviewer who called this a dark and moody jazz masterpiece. Miles kept churning out artistic works like this in the early to mid-60s and they are all delicious musical offerings. The drums dominate this recording. Trumpet and keyboard and bass all crawling out of difference corners, it makes me dizzy with longing and nostalgia. It's more daring than most rock music ! I think that's what he was shooting for.

Although pervaded by a sort of narcoleptic anonymity, the instrumental interplay remains thoroughly intoxicating, only paling in comparison to the artistic expansion Davis was to continue pursuing.

Davis' 'Second Great Quintet' is my favorite period from Miles' long and brilliant career. Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams comprise what I consider the greatest rhythm section in the history of jazz. Gone is the passive and laid back Davis on the 50s, and fully arrived is the new aggressive and attacking Davis tone. The album jumps off to a great start with 'Prince of Darkness', and with the exception of the stupid vocal track at the end of the album (undoubtedly a cheesy Davis tribute to Cicely Tyson). 'Masqualero' and the title track are the other tracks that really jump out at me. Also, Hancock's very spaced out comping style always amazes me, that he has such ability to suppress the urge to play is astounding. This is not a CD for everyone, but if you enjoy taking risks in your listening, than this album is a must own.