vmagistr How many rock bands can claim that after their active phase ended, all members went on to successful solo careers, during which they continued to shape the face of "their" genre? The only ones that come to mind are The Beatles (if we cut Ringo some slack) and Cream (where all three protagonists had already been through a lot by the time the band was formed). Even in jazz, such a concentration of talent is not usual (there is always someone more or less in charge, and someone, who has no compositional ambitions or simply doesn't feel like a driving force), but one of the exceptions is undoubtedly the second quintet of trumpeter Miles Davis, whose members became major figures in jazz, jazz rock and fusion in the 1970s and 1980s.

This quintet is indeed a sovereign ensemble and not just a backing band for the clear-cut boss Davis. There is nothing easier than look at the tracklist of E.S.P. - the first studio recording on which the quintet came together as a complete line-up. Miles Davis is credited on only three of the seven recordings (two of which he co-wrote), the rest are credited to the other members of the group - bassist Carter in particular was a prolific writer during this period.

I would divide the material on the album into several categories. The listener less addicted to jazz will probably be more interested in the up-tempo pieces, in which the rhythm section creates a breeding ground on which the solo instruments can frolic ad lib. Such are the compositions Eighty-One, Iris or the title track E.S.P. More melancholy and more spare arrangements, in which every note and beat stands out, are brought by the band in pieces like Little One, Mood or Agitation. Probably the most avant-garde track for me is R.J., where I perceive a fusion of both approaches. I probably prefer the denser pieces myself - when listening to Davis and Shorter's output, I often think that one of the inspirations for hard rock guitar soloists could be right here.

Of course, in the case of this recording, we're in the realm of strictly acoustic jazz; there's no trace of electric guitar and rock in general. Still, I think that for listeners of more sophisticated rock forms, this group's records might not be a misstep - especially if you're into even a little bit of that melancholy. Because jazz (like blues) can interpret that to perfection.

darkshade My first Miles pre-fusion album.

I had heard So What long before I even got into Miles’ music, but when I got the urge to check out his pre-fusion albums, I went with this one first. I bought it mostly because of the lineup. Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter are a who’s who of jazz-fusion (well except maybe Carter) but I knew it wasn’t jazz-fusion. I did, however, want to hear what they were doing with the great Miles Davis before the fusion scene exploded.

I fell in love with this CD. At the time I thought this was one of his best, and perhaps one of the best jazz records of all time. As my jazz collection has grown over the years, I can tell you this is a great record, one of Miles’ best, but not the best of all time. It is like a slightly avant-garde post-bop record, mostly due to Wayne Shorter having probably the most contribution to the music on this record.

What’s funny is that if you’re listening closely, you can hear all the sidemen’s nuances that they would later capitalize on later on in the 70s. Hancock with his neo-classical style mixed with R&B flavored chords, Williams being the usual monster on the set, and Shorter displaying his great talent for melody which would become classic in Weather Report.

Then there is Miles himself. The thing about this lineup is he seemed to take a backseat to the other members, and there is a lot of time where he is not playing. This is not unusual for him, but it is even more so here. However, I think this era of his music was his peak technically and playing-wise. Miles’ playing is just hot fire, and his solos are fast a lot of times, but of course never forgetting to be melodic. I think working with younger musicians at this stage in his life kept his chops up and made his playing fiercer (and not the kind of fierce heard on albums like Bitches Brew). His playing is very bright. Of course, there is still the cool Miles Davis, as heard on Little One, where I personally get this mid-60s vibe, very relaxed playing.

This lineup would evolve throughout the 60s and make even more interesting music. If you’re looking for great Miles jazz, this is a good place to start. I got this one and went chronologically into Miles’ fusion period. Good addition to any jazz collection.