CD Review: MILES DAVIS – “Original Album Series – “Tutu”; “Siesta”; “Amandla”; “Dingo”; “Doo-Bop”, 5 CD set, Rhino / Warner Bros, 2012 .

(Review by Dave Weisser).
Miles Davis hated repeating himself.  “I have to change, it’s like a curse”, he once said.  Leaving aside the albums of the ‘60s where he seemed to play ‘live’ the same tunes (e.g. ‘All Blues’ and ‘So What’) he’d recorded years earlier; on albums such as “At The Blackhawk” or “Live At Carnegie Hall”, he succeeded in doing just that.  His experiments with electric instruments led to jazz-rock and fusion, genres which have pretty much been dismissed by purists over the years, but he pointed the way for such as Weather Report, the many incarnations of the Herbie Hancock band and others too numerous to mention.  
Inactive for several years after a lengthy bout of ill-health, during which he took up painting, he started to record again in 1978 and 1980, tracks which were alas never issued.  He also played and rehearsed for a bit with the band his nephew, Vince Wilburn was in.  Leading on from that, he first recorded with Marcus Miller, then aged 22, the polymath musician who plays just about everything (and is mainly responsible for the content of the first three albums listed here) for the 1981 album “Man With The Horn”, using two tracks from the Wilburn band sessions and supplemented with new additions.  Even more convincing as proof that Davis had returned was the album “We Want Miles”, an album of live performances which included Marcus Miller, Mike Stern, Bill Evans (the saxophonist) and drummer Al Foster.  

 A few more years and albums went by before he re-connected with Miller – he had recorded “Star People” with him in the line-up described above in 1982, then Miller was replaced – Marcus was a first-call session musician and probably wanted to get back to that – In 1985 Miller called producer Tommy Li Puma, asking whether Miles wanted any new material.  Li Puma suggested he send some demos of these tracks, and when they arrived, they were close to finished tracks on which he’d played every instrument.  The wheels were set in motion for what Li Puma anticipated would be a spotless, trouble-free Miles Davis record.  This is largely what was produced, save one track, “Backyard Ritual”, produced by keyboardist George Duke.  1986’s “Tutu” was Miles’ biggest success in quite a while, and a fitting inaugural album for his new label, Warner Brothers.     

On 1987’s “Music From Siesta”, an album less than 35 minutes long, Marcus Miller et al succeed in conjuring up an updated spin on the “Spanish tinge” exhibited by Miles with Gil Evans on “Sketches of Spain” back in 1959; this time it’s combined with state-of-the-art electronics and creative mixing, to produce Miller’s concept of sadly emotional film soundtrack music, on which Miles plays convincingly.  Sadly, the film didn’t get far.  

 “Amandla”, made in 1989, again features Miller’s compositions, along with another from George Duke (“Cobra”) and one from John Bigham, “Jilli”.  This album represents Miles’ final collaboration with Marcus Miller, and heavily features ace alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, part of Davis’ then-current band.  Other members, Foley McCreary and Ricky Wellman also participate.  One of the best moments comes in “Mr. Pastorius”, a tribute to the late lamented Jaco, on which Miles plays a wonderful solo.

 For “Dingo”, released in 1990, Miles is reunited with his old friend, pianist and composer Michel Legrand, with whom he last worked on 1958’s classic album “Legrand Jazz”.  Here, Legrand has conjured up a film soundtrack for an Australian slice-of-life musical drama, in which Miles also played aging jazz musician “Billy Cross”, interacting with the film’s protagonist, “Dingo Anderson”.  There are several playing encounters depicted in the film, with Miles in jam-session mode with “Dingo Anderson”, whose trumpet playing is dubbed by one Chuck Findley, a Hollywood session ace and no mean trumpeter himself.  Legrand even composed “Concert on The Runway” to be reminiscent of “Milestones”!  The film sadly went nowhere, but the album, featuring a big band made up of some of  L. A.’s finest, is pretty enthralling.  Though Miles is sounding a little bit less commanding on some of it, it’s basically a good Davis album, and Chuck Findley is a revelation!

 “Doo-Bop” was released posthumously, with only six tracks (about 30 minutes) finished in Miles’ lifetime.  Added to this were two tracks taken from the famous “Rubberband” sessions, and the whole lot, including these two tracks (“High Speed Chase” and “Fantasy”), were created by the rapper Easy Mo Bee, whom Miles had met and got on with.  For the two tracks mentioned, Easy created backings for existing Miles Davis solos, and the results will either please one or infuriate one, depending on whether or not you like rap music!    

Anyway, ENJOY ! ! 

Dave Weisser.

MUSICIANS LISTING “Tutu”: MILES DAVIS, trumpet (all trax); MARCUS MILLER, bass clarinet, keyboards, guitar, bass, bass guitar; drums, composer ; JASON MILES, synthesizer programming;  ADAM HOLZMANN, keyboards, synthesizer programming; BERNARD WRIGHT, additional sythesizers on 2 and 7;  GEORGE DUKE, (“Backyard Ritual” only) composer plus all instruments except percussion, bass guitar & trumpet ; OMAR HAKIM, drums & percussion on 2;   PAULHINO da COSTA, percussion (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5); STEVE REID, additional percussion on 4;  MICHAEL URBANIAK, electric violin (“Don’t Lose Your Mind”).  Recorded between February – March 1986.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Music from “Siesta”: MILES DAVIS, trumpet (all trax); MARCUS MILLER, bass clarinet, guitar, bass, drums, composer; JAMES WALKER, flute; EARL KLUGH, guitar.  Recorded March, 1987.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

“Amandla”: MILES DAVIS, trumpet (all trax); MARCUS MILLER, bass, keyboards, drums (1), guitar (1, 7), bass clarinet (1 – 4, 7, 8), soprano saxophone (1, 3), bass guitar (4), composer (all except 2 & 7) ; KENNY GARRETT, alto saxophone (1, 3 – 6), soprano saxophone (2); DON ALIAS (1, 3, 6), MINO CINELU (1), PAULHINO da COSTA (4, 5), BASHIRI JOHNSON (6), percussion; MICHAEL LANDAU (2), FOLEY McCREARY (3 [also solo], 4, 7), JEAN-PAUL BOURELLY (3, 5), guitar; JOEY De FRANCESCO, additional keyboards (2); RICKY WELLMAN (3, 7), OMAR HAKIM (4, 6), drums; RICK MARGITZA, tenor saxophone (5); JOHN BIGHAM, guitar (7); BILLY ‘Spaceman’ PATTERSON, Wah-Wah guitar (7).  Recorded between September 1988 – January 1989.                                                                                                           

“Dingo” – selections from the film soundtrack: MILES DAVIS, “Billy Cross” trumpet; CHUCK FINDLEY, “Dingo Anderson” trumpet; NOLAN SMITH, RAY BROWN, GEORGE GRAHAM, OSCAR BRASHEAR, trumpets; KEI AKAGI, ALAN OLDFIELD, MICHEL LEGRAND, keyboards; MARK RIVETT, guitar; JOHN BIGHAM, RICK WELLMAN, HARVEY MASON, ALPHONSE MOUZON, drums & percussion; BENNY REITVELD, FOLEY McCREARY, ABRAHAM LABORIEL, bass & lead bass; BUDDY COLLETTE, JACKIE KELSO, MARTY KRYSTALL, BILL GREEN, CHARLES OWENS, JOHN STEPHENS, woodwinds; VINCE de ROSA, DAVID DUKE, MARNIE JOHNSON, RICHARD TODD, French horns; JIMMY CLEVELAND, DICK NASH, GEORGE BOHANON, THURMAN GREEN, LEW McCREARY, trombones; KENNY GARRETT, saxophone.  Music arranged, orchestrated & conducted by MICHEL LEGRAND.  Recorded May, 1990, Crystal Studios, Los Angeles, U.S.A.  Mixed in Adelaide, Australia, from where film originated.                                                                                                               

“Doo – Bop”: MILES DAVIS, trumpet (all trax); DERON JOHNSON,keyboards; EASY MO BEE, J. R., A. B. MONEY, vocals; others unlisted.  Many samples also used.  Mostly recorded in 1991.