In Concert (Miles Davis album)

Last updated
In Concert
In Concert - Miles Davis.jpg
Live album by
ReleasedMay 1973
RecordedSeptember 29, 1972
Venue Philharmonic Hall
New York City
Genre
Length84:06
Label Columbia
Producer Teo Macero
Miles Davis chronology
Black Beauty
(1973)
In Concert
(1973)
Jazz at the Plaza Vol. I
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Christgau's Record Guide A– [3]
Down Beat Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Entertainment Weekly A [6]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Tom Hull – on the Web A− [9]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]

In Concert [nb 1] is a live double album by American jazz musician Miles Davis. It was recorded in 1972 at the Philharmonic Hall in New York City. Columbia Records' original release did not credit any personnel, recording date, or track listing, apart from the inner liner listing the two titles "Foot Fooler" and "Slickaphonics." [11]

Contents

Critical reception

In a contemporary review of the album, Bob Palmer of Rolling Stone magazine believed Carlos Garnett's saxophone playing sounded marginalized, but wrote that the music is "bracing, popping, at least one step ahead of the many Davis imitators. There are few real surprises, but there's a continuing skein of rhythms, themes and developments that makes fine extended listening." [14] Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981) that although "it takes a while to get into gear" and is "pretty narrow in function", the album's "urban voodoo" has "more going for it rhythmically than On the Corner ." [3] In an article for The Village Voice , Christgau wrote of the album upon its reissue in 1997:

"By In Concert ... [Michael] Henderson is the sole survivor from the more talented prior band—although, crucially, Al Foster pushes like [Jack] DeJohnette with less excess motion. The result is the purest jazz-funk record ever—not as quick or tricky as James Brown, but more richly layered, riffs and drones and wah-wahs and tunelets and weird noises and shifting key centers snaking along on a sexually solicitous, subtly indomitable pulse." [1]

According to AllMusic editor Steve Huey, "melody isn't the point of this music; it's about power, rhythm, and the sum energy of the collective, and of Davis' electric jazz-rock albums, In Concert does one of the most mind-bending jobs of living up to those ideals". [2] Erik Davis, writing in Spin magazine, praised its "rhythmic wall of sound" and said that its music is "of such propulsive psychedelic density that it makes the heaviest P-Funk sound like the Archies." [15] JazzTimes writer Tom Terrell called Davis "a spiritual Hendrix with his own cosmic band of gypsies", and commented that the album's "visionary performance ... predicts hip hop ('Rated X''s bassline = 'White Lines'), Ornette's Prime Time ('Black Satin') and Talking Heads ('Ife')". [16]

In a mixed review, Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times criticized Davis' use of the wah-wah effects controller and said that he was "not in particularly exceptional form" because he had "moved more deeply into pounding funk rhythms and fairly static sound textures." [7] In The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), J. D. Considine felt that, although it was "occasionally fascinating, the busily churning rhythms often seem oddly static, as if the band were laboriously treading water." [17]

Track listing

Original LP

All tracks were composed by Miles Davis.

Record one - “Foot Fooler”

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Miles Davis in Concert"20:45
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Miles Davis in Concert"25:23

Record two - “Slickaphonics”

Side three
No.TitleLength
1."Miles Davis in Concert"18:12
Side four
No.TitleLength
1."Miles Davis in Concert"20:21

CD reissue

Disc one (First set - “Foot Fooler” in Concert, Parts 1 and 2)
No.TitleLength
1."Rated X"12:16
2."Honky Tonk"9:18
3."Theme from Jack Johnson"10:12
4."Black Satin/The Theme"14:14
Disc two (Second set - “Slickaphonics” in Concert, Parts 1 and 2)
No.TitleLength
1."Ife"27:53
2."Right Off/The Theme"10:30

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Bitches Brew</i> 1970 studio album by Miles Davis

Bitches Brew is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was recorded from August 19 to 21, 1969, at Columbia's Studio B in New York City and released on March 30, 1970 by Columbia Records. It marked his continuing experimentation with electric instruments that he had featured on his previous record, the critically acclaimed In a Silent Way (1969). With these instruments, such as the electric piano and guitar, Davis departed from traditional jazz rhythms in favor of loose, rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. The final tracks were edited and pieced together by producer Teo Macero.

<i>Nefertiti</i> (Miles Davis album) 1968 studio album by Miles Davis

Nefertiti is a studio album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released in March 1968. Recorded on June 7, June 22–23 and July 19, 1967, at Columbia's 30th Street Studio, the album was Davis' last fully acoustic album. Davis himself did not contribute any compositions- three were written by tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, two by pianist Herbie Hancock and one by drummer Tony Williams.

<i>Jack Johnson</i> (album) 1971 studio album / Soundtrack album by Miles Davis

Jack Johnson is a studio album and soundtrack by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was released on February 24, 1971, by Columbia Records.

<i>On the Corner</i> 1972 studio album by Miles Davis

On the Corner is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. It was recorded in June and July 1972 and released on October 11 of the same year by Columbia Records. The album continued Davis's exploration of jazz fusion, and explicitly drew on the influence of funk musicians Sly Stone and James Brown, the experimental music of Karlheinz Stockhausen, the free jazz of Ornette Coleman, and the work of collaborator Paul Buckmaster.

<i>Get Up with It</i> 1974 compilation album by Miles Davis

Get Up with It is a compilation album by American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. Released by Columbia Records on November 22, 1974, it compiled songs Davis had recorded in sessions between 1970 and 1974, including those for the studio albums Jack Johnson (1971) and On the Corner (1972). In The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), J. D. Considine described the compilation's music as "worldbeat fusion".

<i>Big Fun</i> (Miles Davis album) 1974 studio album by Miles Davis

Big Fun is an album by American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. It was released by Columbia Records on April 19, 1974, and compiled recordings Davis had made in sessions between 1969 and 1972. It was advertised as a new album with "four new Miles Davis compositions" One of three Davis albums released in 1974 and largely ignored, it was reissued on August 1, 2000, by Columbia and Legacy Records with additional material, which led to a critical reevaluation.

<i>Tutu</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Miles Davis

Tutu is an album by American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded primarily at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and Clinton Recording in New York, except the song "Backyard Ritual", which was recorded at Le Gonks in West Hollywood. Davis received the 1986 Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist Grammy Award for his performance on the album.

<i>Live-Evil</i> (Miles Davis album) 1971 live album / studio album by Miles Davis

Live-Evil is an album of both live and studio recordings by American jazz musician Miles Davis. Parts of the album featured music from Davis' concert at the Cellar Door in 1970, which producer Teo Macero subsequently edited and pieced together in the studio. They were performed as lengthy, dense jams in the jazz-rock style, while the studio recordings consisted mostly of renditions of Hermeto Pascoal compositions. The album was originally released on November 17, 1971.

<i>Star People</i> 1983 studio album by Miles Davis

Star People is a 1983 album recorded by Miles Davis and issued by Columbia Records. It is the second studio recording released after the trumpeter's six-year hiatus, the first to feature electric guitarist John Scofield, who was recommended by saxophonist Bill Evans, and the last to be produced by long-standing collaborator Teo Macero.

<i>Amandla</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Miles Davis

Amandla is an album by jazz musician Miles Davis, released in 1989. The word Amandla holds significance in various Nguni languages, including Zulu and Xhosa, where it translates to "power." It is the third collaboration between Miles Davis and producer/bassist Marcus Miller, following their previous works Tutu (1986) and Music from Siesta (1987), and it serves as their final album together.

<i>Agharta</i> (album) 1975 live album by Miles Davis

Agharta is a 1975 live double album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. By the time he recorded the album, Davis was 48 years old and had alienated many in the jazz community while attracting younger rock audiences with his radical electric fusion music. After experimenting with different line-ups, he established a stable live band in 1973 and toured constantly for the next two years, despite physical pain from worsening health and emotional instability brought on by substance abuse. During a three-week tour of Japan in 1975, the trumpeter performed two concerts at the Festival Hall in Osaka on February 1; the afternoon show produced Agharta and the evening show was released as Pangaea the following year.

<i>Pangaea</i> (album) 1976 live album by Miles Davis

Pangaea is a live album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was originally released as a double album in 1976 by CBS Sony in Japan.

<i>Miles Davis at Fillmore</i> 1970 live album by Miles Davis

Miles Davis at Fillmore is a 1970 live album by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and band, recorded at the Fillmore East, New York City on four consecutive days, June 17 through June 20, 1970, originally released as a double vinyl LP. The performances featured the double keyboard set-up Davis toured with for a few months, with Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea playing electronic organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano, respectively. The group opened for Laura Nyro at these performances.

<i>The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions</i> 2003 box set by Miles Davis

The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions were recorded in April 1970 by Miles Davis, and released in September 2003. These sessions formed the basis for the 1971 album Jack Johnson, as well as some of the studio portions of Live-Evil.

<i>Man-Child</i> 1975 studio album by Herbie Hancock

Man-Child is the fifteenth studio album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. The record was released on August 22, 1975 by Columbia Records. It was the final studio album to feature The Headhunters, and a number of guest musicians including saxophonist Wayne Shorter, a full brass section, three different guitarists, and Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

<i>Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West</i> 1973 live album by Miles Davis

Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West is a live double album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was recorded on April 10, 1970, at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, shortly after the release of the trumpeter's Bitches Brew album and the recording of Jack Johnson (1971). Black Beauty was produced by Teo Macero, Davis' longtime record producer.

<i>The Complete On the Corner Sessions</i> 2007 compilation album by Miles Davis

The Complete On the Corner Sessions is a posthumous box set by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released in the US on September 25, 2007, by Columbia Records and in the UK on September 29 on Legacy Recordings. Like other Davis box sets, the included material is taken from a wider chronology of sessions than the dates which actually produced the titular album. The Complete On the Corner Sessions compiles material from 1972 through 1975 which, due to lineup changes Davis made throughout the era, features over two dozen musicians.

<i>Dark Magus</i> 1977 live album by Miles Davis

Dark Magus is a live double album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was recorded on March 30, 1974, at Carnegie Hall in New York City, during the electric period in the musician's career. Davis' group at the time of the concert included bassist Michael Henderson, drummer Al Foster, percussionist Mtume, saxophonist Dave Liebman, and guitarists Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas. He also used the show to audition saxophonist Azar Lawrence and guitarist Dominique Gaumont. Dark Magus was produced by Teo Macero and featured four two-part recordings with titles from the Swahili words for the numbers one through four.

<i>Emergency!</i> (album) 1969 studio album by The Tony Williams Lifetime

Emergency! is the debut double album by the American jazz fusion group The Tony Williams Lifetime featuring Williams with guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young. It was recorded and released in 1969 and was one of the first significant fusion recordings. The album is commonly regarded as an influential album in the jazz, rock, and fusion genres.

<i>Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974</i> 1998 remix album by Miles Davis

Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974 is a remix album by Miles Davis, released on February 16, 1998, by Sony Records. It contains compositions from prior albums, including In a Silent Way (1969), On the Corner (1972), and Get Up With It (1974), remixed by Bill Laswell; it is subtitled "Reconstruction and Mix Translation by Bill Laswell". The album was composed as a dark, continuous tone poem divided by four sections of Davis' jazz fusion recordings. Panthalassa received generally positive reviews from music critics and sold well, charting at number four on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums.

References

  1. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (October 14, 1997). "Miles Davis's '70s: The Excitement! The Terror!". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Huey, Steve (November 1, 2002). Review: In Concert: Live at Philharmonic Hall. AllMusic. Retrieved on 2011-02-26.
  3. 1 2 Christgau 1981, p. 102.
  4. "Review: In Concert". Down Beat . Chicago: 65. July 1997.
  5. Larkin 2006, p. 210.
  6. Sinclair, Tom (August 1, 1997). "Miles Davis". Entertainment Weekly . New York (390): 75. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Heckman, Don (July 27, 1997). "Unleashing More of the Davis Legacy : MILES DAVIS". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  8. Considine et al. 2004, p. 215.
  9. Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Grade List: Miles Davis". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  10. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 350. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.
  11. 1 2 "Top Album Picks". Billboard : 60. May 5, 1973. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  12. "Miles Davis – In Concert – Columbia KG 32092". Coda . 11 (7–12): 105. 1974.
  13. Schwann Record & Tape Guide . 26 (2): 232. 1973.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  14. Palmer, Bob (June 21, 1973). "In Concert: Live At Philharmonic Hall". Rolling Stone . New York. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  15. Davis, Erik (August 1997). "Freakin' the Funk – Revisiting Miles Davis's '70s Visions". Spin . New York: 117. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  16. Terrell, Tom (October 1997). Review: In Concert: Live at Philharmonic Hall. JazzTimes . Retrieved on 2011-02-26.
  17. Considine et al. 2004, p. 219.
Footnote
  1. The title of the album's original release (Columbia KG 32092) is listed as "In Concert" by Billboard , [11] Coda , [12] and the Schwann Record & Tape Guide . [13]

Bibliography