A Lark Ascending

I think it was the Panthalassa disc of his, doing whatever he does to some of the music of this era, that started me to move beyond Bitches Brew.

A little conundrum for you. All the literature makes much of Miles never repeating himself (apart from the last Montreux concerts), losing interest in what he made as soon as he made it prefering to move on to the next thing etc. Critics of these re-explorations/tributes or whatever you wish to call them often argue that they break the spirit of the originals by revisiting rather than ploughing on into the unknown themselves. But where does that put the listener? Are we not just as guilty going back to these treasured records or buying the boxes with all the other bits. If we really care for Miles should we not be forgetting his music and looking to the now? Not said with any attempt at overseriousness. I was just thinking about it whilst doing the ironing. [side thought: I seem to recall that the Trotskyite wing of the European improv scene used to reject the whole idea of recordings on the grounds that listening to a past performance is by its very nature reactionary).

I was thinking mainly a little way down the line from the source...otherwise you're quickly into the 'origins of jazz-rock/fusion' debate. It just strikes me that that Miles era (in all its many flavours) got marginalised for a time - but there seem to have been a lot of people trying it out again in the last ten years or so. I was just interested in what people might have heard and enjoyed. That Sonny Fortune looks interesting - I very much like his playing. Nik Bartsch gets mentioned in this light - in fact it might have been attending a concert of his a few weeks back that stirred my brain cells in this direction. I didn't actually enjoy the concert very much...things changed very slowly, often with simple repeating patterns. But then that's what once held me off this era of Miles until I started hearing other things. Played this off Spotify last night: Enjoyed it more than the concert but not yet fully convinced. But I'm intrigued enough to listen again...

I have that one heading my way too - it was briefly on e-music but vanished and doesn't seem to exist as a download in the UK. One of most impressive takes I heard on the later part of the early 70s era was a live performance by British drummer Martin France with John Parricelli and Mike Walker on twin guitars and Ian Ballamy on soprano/tenor. Never made it to disc - when France did put out a CD it was much more aligned to techno with lots of beats. Something Miles would probably have approved of but did nothing for me. It'll probably become my favourite record in 2029! British trumpeter Gerard Presencer has also recorded in this area.

Yes, that was my thought too.

'Yo Miles' set me off on this current exploration a few weeks back. Just got an e-mail that 'Upriver' is heading my way. Amazon.co.uk are clearly still hunting down a copy of 'Sky Garden'. I particularly like Roney's exploration of the transitional late 60s Miles period on this CD...

My exhibit no.1 for the case that there is just as imaginative jazz singing happening today as in the 'classic' era: Wonderful reinventions of well known tunes, often inverting the sentiment of the lyrics through a very different musical slant.

Wonder what impact this will have...not so much on the anti-pracy as the music availability front. Does seem to imply you'd have to shift your internet provider to access Universal etc. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8100394.stm

How much do companies get fined for making cluster bombs? Oh, sorry. That's legal. Must focus on the real criminals...illegal filesharers.

I didn't get electric Miles - deliberately avoided him - until the early 90s. Since then I've been gradually won over by even the darkest, most mono-chordal music of the 70s...and enjoy some of the 80s. I've also acquired a fair few albums that either interpret/pay tribute to this era through the actual compositions or the instrumental approach. Now I know there is a view that Miles is all you need and the rest is imitation. And I wouldn't argue for a moment that, historically speaking, Miles and musicians creating this music on a blank sheet of paper is of far greater significance than the followers. But I work from the view that the music is so powerful, the compositions so rich that they can sustain plenty of subsequent exploration. So... If you've enjoyed any of this music inspired by the electric Miles period, what stands out for you. I have a range of things from Dave Liebman, Mark Isham, The UMO Jazz Orchestra, Leo Smith/Henry Kaiser (with two more on the way), Wallace Roney, Terje Rypdal and many others. And I think a fair few of Dave Douglas' projects of recent years refer back to that music.

Looks right up my street. Have added to my e-music 'Save for Later' so I can pick it up when my credits reload next week. Many thanks.

I'm looking forward to Howard Alden's Piazzolla album. Thanks for the Piazzolla recommendations all. Very much enjoying the few things I have and will branch outward.

Very sad. I came to Mariano from a rather different route - the Eberhard Weber 'Colours' band of the 70s. Have always enjoyed what I've heard of his music elsewhere too.

You might strike lucky on this, Brad: He's done weekly gigs at various places over the years. Always the night before or the night after I'm there! The one occasion I got to a pub he was playing in he was trapped down in Cork! Well worth hearing if you can. http://www.louisstewart.net/itinerary.htm

Thanks all. The big Piazzolla craze of a few years back passed me by completely, so I've not had a chance to become jaded by over-exposure. I became intrigued listening to a radio programme a few months back. Just after a modest selection. Probably the hot weather that is drawing me that way at present.

In my experience, not the place to go for jazz. But when I was last there a couple of years back there were two very nice shops with a wide selection of Irish traditional music: One on the road on the south side of Trinity College, not far from Grafton Street (the main shopping area) - a good area for bookshops. Another tucked away in the Temple Bar maze, near the alternative cinema/arts centre. Given what has happened in Britain as a whole, these may be gone by now. Apart from that you are stuck with the usual HMV and some local chains (Golden Discs?) which don't have anything unusual. Easons, the big book/stationary store, had a largish CD area in its O'Connell Street store last time I was there...though again, not big on jazz. Don't waste your time chasing CDs in Dublin - take a hop-on, hop-off bus tour to get the lie of the land. If you have any historical interest, Kilmainham Jail is fascinating. And there are great walking tours - I did a great one based around the 1916 Easter Rising - the guide had the gift of the gab and told us so much more about Dublin. Though if it's a business trip you won't have time for any of this! Great...if ramshackle (vanity tower blocks and continental bars cheek by jowl with dilapidated pubs with old Guinness signs)....city.

Got myself a random 2CD set off iTunes. Seems there are dozens of compilations out there made up of endless live recordings. This set sounds fine to my unschooled ears. Also got Gary Burton's 'Libertango' off e-music - no Piazzolla himself but all his music. Best Burton disc I've heard in years. The Mulligan looks interesting but I want to get a feel for the man himself first.

Impressive tree spotting skills, Serioza. It is a cherry tree (not sure if it is wild or otherwise). Cherries are just ripening now...but the birds will get them befoe I do! The branch on the left is a plum tree. Both are bearing fruit this year. Neither did last year.

Reread it a couple of months back and loved it (and I don't read much 'literature' these days). Sent me off to get the background in 'King Leopold's Ghost' and now: Other Conrad I've attempted I've found really hard going. I loved Gatsby when I read it in the 70s. Especially the final sentence. I don't think the problem is how great a book is or not; it's this strange need to constantly put things in hierarchies. If a book has grabbed you at 17 it hardly matters what someone else thinks about its significance...even yourself thirty years later.

Love the deer! Rather more impressive than the anaemic ones near me. [Apologies for buggering-up the quotes above. I'd not set my new album on the host site to public. Edit: The quotes pix have now returned.] One of those deer is not quite like the others. Experimental breed. Aiming to minimise wastage so you don't get bits people don't want to eat.

150 years of coal dust, perhaps.

Amazing what you can find within two or three miles (or in one case a few feet) of your home:

Anyone have this problem. Most times I download an album two tracks freeze half way. I have to press resume to get them (and remember to do this!). Sometimes resume does not work. The only way to get the tracks is to re-download. They often turn up in a different file with strange symbols replacing some letters in the titles.

Anyone familiar with Piazzolla with some recommendations? I'd be especially interested in a good 2CD type compilation. I have a cheapo 'Music Club' single CD and 'Zero Hour' (which is fabulous); also a Chandos orchestral recording of his music by other players, bandoneon concerto included. Also interested in any single disc 'must haves'!