Customer Reviews

Tribute to Jack Johnson

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the most *relaxed* of Miles' electric albums. It takes the vamp-based open structures of his great electric period (1968-75) and puts them in a warm blues context, rather than the heady big-band jazz experiments of Stockhausen-funk of later bands. The band is small, clean, and tight. The album opens with a pounding chord from John McLaughlin, dropping into an E blues shuffle that sounds more like Mississippi than NYC. McLaughlin, Cobham, and Henderson pave a groove like a red carpet for the Dark Magus, with only the occasional diminished passing chord to remind us that this is, indeed, a jazz album and not Muddy Waters. Then Miles comes in, not as the madman, just stretching his legs out on the deep bed of rhythm. Miles may play different at times, but he don't play any better than this. Then Herbie Hancock attacks with a horrible little Farfisa organ that sounds about to explode, and the game turns into a battle.

My god, this is good! The second track, Yesternow, is more expansive, more thoughtful. Sonny Sharrock's uncredited but unmistakable abuse of an Echoplex should be the stuff of legend, taking bluesy guitar to the exotic planes McLaughlin only hinted at.

This is the album to get for that blues-rock fan who just doesn't get the appeal of jazz. Miles doesn't expect us to suffer in order to understand, the way he often did with his best electric music. There's no harsh tones (well, maybe some!), no obscure harmonies, none of the stuff that makes jazz boring and hard for the uninitiated. And it will MOVE them.

I think the ultimate sound of this album is best summed up by a quote from the film, at the very end of the album... "I'm Jack Johnson. I'm black, and they never let me forget it. I'm Jack Johnson. I'm black, and I never let them forget it."

This is one of the most amazing albums I have ever heard. Miles definitely was on a creative roll when he did this tribute lp. As a former boxer, as well as a prominent member of the black community, Miles could easily understand what fomer Boxing champ (and the 1st black boxing champ) Jack Johnson went through and what he meant to his community.

Like Johnson, Miles held back no punches on this powerful lp. Miles, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock, Steve Grossman, and Michael Henderson created a powerful rock and roll album that rivaled, and surpassed, many of the lps of its time- a straight ahead, no holds barred attack complete with blistering guitars, and powerful drumming and bass work by Cobham and Henderson. The stage was set, and Miles, Herbie, and Grossman wasted little opportunity to vamp and solo over the tight rock and roll grooves.

While not as earth shattering as Tony Williams' first Lifetime lp "Emergency!", "Jack Johnson" is nevertheless a powerful album of true fusion jazz. Miles' journey would lead him down the road to very dark Sly Stone-esque funky murky African based grooves (surely, his friend Jimi Hendrix's untimely death also signaled the death of Miles' rock and roll period) that lacked the crispness and overall urgency of this album, which, while rewarding in its own right, is also a shame, because Miles could rock.

An amazing feat and a very interesting sidebar in the Miles Davis canon, "Jack Johnson" is a true fusion lp that sounds as fresh today as it did then.

This review refers to "A Tribute To Jack Johnson"/Miles Davis

Originally released in 1971, this album really cooks.The two tracks on this album, were written by Miles Davis, and are from a documentary of boxer Jack Johnson's bio. The sound is incredible.First of all, you will really feel the emotions of the fighter in the ring. Davis' trumpeting, although a rock-jazz style, is definitive of his immense talent. Extraordinary solos that will have you immersed in every note. And what's more check out some of the talent he brings with him. Herbie Hancock on Organ(amazing), John McLaughlin on Guitar(soooo good), Steve Grossman on Soprano Sax, Billy Cobham on Drums and Michael Henderson on Electric Bass. Whoa..Whole lotta greatness there! They are all superb, and their combined talents make this album a real treat and treasure for fans.

An amazing production job,the recordings were produced over a 16 week period in 1970. The 2 tracks are "Right Off" and "Yesternow", for a total of about 53 minutes of heaven. This CD from1992 (with a red border) is an older edition.There is a much newer edition of the remastered original recording that came out in 2005: A Tribute to Jack Johnson It costs a little more, but it is an excellent quality, with every note and sound coming through the speakers beautifully. It also includes a nice 15 page booklet with facts on Davis, the musicians, the recording sessions, and a history of jazz in brief(and also a few pix).

Recommended for Jazz fans, and Rock fans leaning towards the jazzy side. Incredible stuff! Wonderful Tribute...Enjoy.....Laurie

I just bought this album after a tip from my brother. He knows I have NEVER been into Jazz. For 40 years it has been R&R all the way for me. He made many attempts in the past to get me interested in Jazz. Finally he gave me the album for a present with a $50 bill. If I could honestly say I didn't like the album, I could keep the money; but, if I truly liked it, I had to give the money back. What a sucker, I knew I'd be $50 richer. Then I listened to Miles blow his brains out on his horn. Ripping off notes one on top of the other, hitting notes so high my dog got excited, blasting notes with machine gun rapidity and then breaking them off in mid-air, he blew my soxs off. I gladly gave the $50 back with a sincere Thank You to my brother for enriching my musical arena.

I may not be a Jazz fan yet, but I am a Miles Davis disciple. Remember this is a review from someone who first heard this album 32 years after it was recorded!!!

This album is a true masterpiece, Miles goes with more of a rock/funk/soul approach with this 1970 release. It still sounds fresh and is a great listen, Miles plays some amazing, clear notes throughout the whole album, and does an excellent contrast in styles when he switches to the mute and changes the whole tempo. Teo Macero really made up for the way he messed up the Quiet Nights album that Miles never wanted released with the ingenius splicing he did on this record. Great production. On "Right Off", John McLaughlin's guitar really rages through the beginning with Michael Henderson's funked out electric bass lines, and Miles playing an excellent solo for practically seven minutes. His tone is incredibly clear on this album, more-so than any other record I've heard from him or anyone else for that matter. Herbie Hancock's added organ riffs aren't bad either and but McLaughlin and Miles own this track for pretty much the whole twenty-five minutes that it lasts. "Yesternow" starts off with Miles taking a laid-back solo over a repeated bassline by Michael Henderson. This bassline is actually the exact same riff James Brown used for "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)". Miles solos over it with great style, and then the track just goes beyond Earth with the spacy guitars throughout (partly courtesy of an uncredited appearance by guitarist Sonny Sharrock). A great tune, and the ending of this album might really surprise you and "won't let you forget it". This album was a superb tribute to one of the first black boxing greats, Jack Johnson. If you are interested in Miles, you should already have this. If you don't, I advise you pick it up, because it has some of the best trumpet playing Miles did in the 1970's, even jazz purists might enjoy this one, unlike a lot of Miles's later albums (which I happen to think are still real good). Check this one out.

Think of this record as "Bitches Brew" with a purpose. Stripped of all the layers of instruments and devoid of the noodling that made the 1969 recording a bit short of deserving its legendary status, Miles finds his focus the following year, retaining a peaking McLaughlin on guitar and bringing on unknown but competent Steve Grossman and Eddie Henderson on soprano sax and bass, respectively. But it's another previous unknown, drummer Billy Cobham, who nearly steals the show. His testoterone-laden straight ahead drumming style was just what the doctor ordered for fusion that is really more rock than jazz. And no one before or since has made a trumpet sound fit so well in rock; Miles' boxerlike licks on "Right Off" rank among some of his best on record.

I could nitpick about Hancock's uninspired performance and Teo Macero's cut-'n'-paste mix, but neither of those things are essential to the overall scheme of this record anyway. McLaughlin, Cobham and Miles more than make up for any shortcomings.

You won't find another Miles record like this one; shortly after this recording he returns to an even more muddled sound, and puts a wah-wah on his trumpet. The clarity on this outing was refreshing, if fleeting.

A Tribute to Jack Johnson is a fantastic album and certainly one of his funkiest. It's also an album that doesn't get the attention that it should. It's just as strong an album as In A Silent Way or Bitches Brew and contains the moodiness of those albums as well as the funk he'd delve into further with albums like On The Corner. The album contains just two tracks clocking in around 26 minutes each, but both tracks are very diverse and never get boring.

"Right Off" starts with a shuffle beat with John McLaughlin playing at his funkiest before Miles begins one of several outstanding solos. This track is spectacular giving each of the musicians extensive room to jam while the rhythm section of Bill Cobham and Michael Henderson lay down the beat. The track comes to a near complete stop in the middle with Miles playing a very slow and melancholy piece before the band re-enters the track with saxophonist Steve Grossman having his chance to stand out, particularly when played just over the rhythm section. Herbie Hancock's playing is a definitely a change of pace, nothing like the acoustic piano of his earlier albums or the funk of albums like Headhunters. The best part of the track may be when McLaughlin and Henderson break into the funk riff near the end sounding much like Sly Stone.

"Yesternow" is the moodier track of the album sounding more like something off In A Silent Way. The track evolves over a six-note bass riff with McLaughlin and Davis playing as the percussion very slowly becomes more active. The drums don't actually keep a steady beat until 11 minutes in. The tune then slows down when a piece from "Shhh/Peaceful" enters before the track returns to an even more creative turn with McLaughlin's guitar and Hancock's keyboards sounding both funky and like a volcanic growl as the track builds in intensity before fading out on a much more subtle note. A great album. Highly recommended.

Enough has already been said about this jazz-funk-rock masterpiece, so any additional praise would be merely redundant. But I am quite surprised that nobody has made any mention of the late, great Sonny Sharrock's contribution to the second half of "Yesternow"! Yes, folks, that is noise guitar pioneer Sonny Sharrock trading licks with McLauglin, although for some strange reason he is uncredited. Sharrocks' beautiful, almost otherworldly guitar skronk perfectly compliments Davis, McLaughlin and the other top-notch players on this album. Hey Columbia, give Sharrock due credit for his valuable contribution to this landmark recording!

WOOOOWWWW! Did this album turn my head around when I first heard it 20+ years ago! Polyrhythms, Polychords, E Super Locrian scale over E7#9 with an "A" bass. Miles the master displays incredible ability to orchestrate an impromptu session into an inventive artistic statement. Sure he was pissed off at the world, (read the liner notes), but that anger was recycled into the enigmatic, and charismatic jam displayed in "Right Off". His playing becomes more angry and dissonant as the track progresses. John Mclaughlin is playing power chords reminiscent of Pete Townsend, and Herbie Hancock is playing some horrible K-Mart brand organ, cranking it up to the threshold and sounding great!

A great revolutionary Miles album that will go down as one of the premiere Jazz/Rock Fusion statements.

Also recommended: "Miles Davis: Live-Evil"

The first song, "Right Off" (one of 2 songs on the album), is my single favorite song ever. No song tours the listener through anger, pain, depression, hope, excitement and happiness like this song. It misses no emotion. I own 1200 CDs, many Jazz, many (~60) of Miles Davis. If I were left with only one - this would be it. Enough said?