Returning to a record after years away, both you and it are new.
Miles Davis (1926-1991, trumpet), In a Silent Way (with Wayne Shorter [1933-2023], soprano saxophone; John McLaughlin [1942- ], electric guitar; Chick Corea [1941-2021], electric piano; Herbie Hancock [1940-], electric piano; Joe Zawinul [1932-2007], electric piano, organ; Dave Holland [1946-], bass; Tony Williams [1945-1997], drums), 1969
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lagniappe
reading table
nothing left of the house I was born in fireflies
—Taneda Santoka (1882-1940), translated from the Japanese by Burton Watson
Wayne Shorter, saxophonist, composer, August 25, 1933–March 2, 2023
With Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (AB, drums; WS, tenor saxophone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie Merritt, bass), “The Summit” (W. Shorter), live, Tokyo, 1961
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With the Miles Davis Quintet (MD, trumpet; WS, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Tony Williams, drums), “Footprints” (W. Shorter), live, Sweden, 1967
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With his quartet (WS, tenor saxophone; Danilo Perez, piano; John Patitucci, bass; Brian Blade, drums), “Masqualero” (W. Shorter), live, Montreal, 2003
Yesterday afternoon, feeling in a bit of a funk before visiting a client in jail, I stumbled upon this and within moments, it seemed, the air began to lighten.
Miles Davis Quintet (MD [1926-1991], trumpet; Wayne Shorter [1933-], tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock [1940-], piano; Ron Carter [1937-], bass; Tony Williams [1945-1997], drums), live, Stockholm (Sweden), 1967
Miles Davis, In a Silent Way (MD, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, soprano saxophone; John McLaughlin, guitar; Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, keyboards; Dave Holland, bass; Tony Williams, drums), 1969*
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
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*Side A: “Shhh”/”Peaceful”/”Shhh” (M. Davis); Side B: “In a Silent Way” (J. Zawinul)/”It’s About That Time” (M. Davis)/”In a Silent Way” (J. Zawinul).
Miles Davis Quintet (MD, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano, Ron Carter, bass; Tony Williams, drums), live, Europe (Karlsruhe, Germany; Stockholm, Sweden), 1967
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Miles may not be the greatest trumpet player in the history of jazz, but he’s arguably the greatest bandleader. Only someone with supreme self-confidence could do what he did. A brilliant judge of talent, a leader who expected, and enabled, others to flourish, he could seem, at times, the least interesting player in his own band.
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reading table
Winter solitude—
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.
—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694, translated from Japanese by Robert Hass)
protean, adj. 1. Of or resembling Proteus in having a varied nature or ability to assume different forms. 2. Displaying great diversity or variety. E.g., Miles Davis.
Miles Davis Quintet (MD, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Tony Williams, drums), “I Fall In Love Too Easily,” live, Germany (Karlsruhe), 1967
Miles Davis Quintet (MD, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Tony Williams, drums), “Footprints” (W. Shorter), live, Sweden, 1967
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Time for just one note? 3:34. (Shorter’s entire solo is a marvel [1:54-3:54]: it’s as intimate and delicate as a dream.)
music clip of the day 