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Double Bass Bitches brew?

#21
I bought that and like parts of it - but my girfriend came in when I was listening and started covering her ears saying that is the worst record you have ever played - never play it when I am in the house again!!

But she likes "Kind of Blue"....
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The correct response here is, of course, "Fine. Leave the house." And maybe throw a Coldplay CD at her on her way out.

I like Bitches' Brew, although I think it's a little dated now. Head Hunters came only a short time later but to me it sounds much fresher, more carefully composed, and rhythmically tighter. But, Bitches' Brew is a great canvas for Miles, and his unique way of phrasing/punctuating his lines.
 
#23
dhadleyray said:
Well, I'm not really digging it, but I'm sure someone else would love it!

It obviously takes a thinker of deep thoughts to unravel it's murky secrets.....
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I don't think so - if anything it is anti-intellectual, instinctive music - that worked in some places and didn't in others.

So - Miles' music with his great second quintet had music whic was thought-out and repays many listens - but I think the CD cover for BB points to a return to the African roots of the music and it was definitely a case of "let's play" - without any real intellectual discussion...

Of course we are talking about some of the greatest musicians on the planet and they will always be worth listening to - but I don't think there is any "hidden concept" that you might be missing!! ;)
 
#24
Im 15 and Ive always heard abotu this album and a few months ago I started seriously getting into to jazz and listening and playing it non-stop. I picked this album up and I love it. I listen to it all the time. I love the dark grooves of the acoustic bass , el. bass , two drummers and don alias on the congas. I love the whole record
 
#27
...look, there's a difference between liking a record and appreciating (or understanding) a record. The fusion stuff was really starting to happen when my ears first opened up to music and I heard a ton of it -- the excitement of that music and those possibilities motivated me for a decade or more. There's a lot of what happened then, and the historical story those times were part of, that I've never stopped thinking about.

But do I like Bitches Brew? No, not really. Listening time is precious and all I get out of that record is a history seminar. It doesn't move me at all and I pretty much insist on being moved or transported in some way...

Don't be quick to judge, but be confident in your taste.
 
#33
Well, I can't help but agree with you. Bitches Brew is pretty hard stuff to listen to or like at a first listening. Like Damon said, theres a difference between liking and appreciating an album. The only track I could stand to listen to from Bitches Brew was Miles Runs the Voodoo down. However, I guess from reading and getting to know about the context of the music and the period I could really appreciate the musical risks Miles took for making such an album despite not liking it. I thought it was cool since Miles being Miles never looked back decided to experiment with what was going on at the time: Psychedelic (sp?) rock, the arrival of electric instruments, etc.

One thing I've found interesting though is that (from at least what I've heard) was that during Mile's first and second quintet periods, guys would be copying those styles as claiming that as how modern jazz is. Yet it seems that a lot of "Modern Jazz" today seems to be mainly based off free jazz, Miles 2nd Quintet, and John Coltranes quartet, basically based off that period (the 60's?). Yet, even with the fusion movement and Miles choice in direction, it seems theres been much fewer "jazz" artists following his direction there. I'm just wondering what you guys think, do you think Bitches Brew could be considered jazz? How do you guys define jazz? Or is there even any point to that question?:smug:
 
#34
Wynton Marsalis would tell you that it definitely isn't Jazz!! ;)

I think the trouble is that we have so many styles of music and even more names and sub-categories...

So it's almost become the case that if somebody talks about Jazz they are talking about acoustic small bands - quintets,quartets, trios etc. And that things like Bitches Brew are "by definition" Fusion or Jazz Rock...?

So if somebody wants to play Jazz - it's very easy to say what is not Jazz and that area gets bigger and bigger - much harder to pin down what Jazz actually is.

Not that I agree - but it's very easy to say - this not Jazz because :

- it doesn't swing
- it uses amplification
- it doesn't have ii-V-I s
- it's not based on a standard

etc. etc. :hmm:
 
#35
Bruce Lindfield said:
Not that I agree - but it's very easy to say - this not Jazz because :

- it doesn't swing
- it uses amplification
- it doesn't have ii-V-I s
- it's not based on a standard
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I'd be inclined to add that "there is no discernable melody". :hiding:

But then again, I'm simply Me, and Miles was...well....Miles Davis.
 
#37
damonsmith said:
It is jazz because it swings (in terms of perpetual forward momentum) and has Miles Davis jazz trumpet solos..
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Well that's not really a definition of 'swing' and Miles played trumpet solos on an album by Scritti Politti that certainly wasn't Jazz!

But I've heard lots of Jazz that wasn't swing - e.g. Bossa or straight 8s etc.
 
#38
mchildree said:
I'd be inclined to add that "there is no discernable melody". :hiding:

But then again, I'm simply Me, and Miles was...well....Miles Davis.
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Uh, To my ears Miles Davis never picked up the trumpet without playing a melody. I would actually like the record more if you were right!
You may want to listen a little closer...
Also, I would not say Wynton knows much about swing. To my ears he is a classical and sometimes avant garde trumpet player...
 
#40
damonsmith said:
Also, I would not say Wynton knows much about swing. To my ears he is a classical and sometimes avant garde trumpet player...
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Err...did you notice my smiley next to my mention of Wynton - I thought my sarcasm was clear enough there .....? ;)

But then the real clincher was when I said :

"Not that I agree - " :eyebrow:

So - I was saying that I didn't agree with this view !

Are people reading these posts or just picking out words at random....:confused:
 

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