Miles in Paris, October 1960

[nmorin]

Miles has that same monster tone and attack and display of chops that I mostly remember from 1970 -- like the Fillmore West or the Jack Johnson recordings. It just goes to show those folks who disparage Miles' chops, it appears much of the deal is that he didn't choose to play that way most of the time. In the 10/60 recordings Miles sounds entirely different from 6 months earlier when Coltrane was still in the band. Wow.

[jazzbo]

Well, I'm not one who disparages Miles' chops; I think you are on to something real when you say "He didn't choose to play that way all the time". . . (to paraphrase your phrase).

I believe that Coltrane was a presence that caused Miles to react in a different way than he did with Stitt, or Mobley, or Shorter, or Grossman, or Leibman, or. . . . I think Miles tailored his playing to the music and the musicians he was playing with in a more studied way than many/most of his contemporaries.

Of course, that's just my personal thoughts from a three decade listening experience. . . .

Edited May 11, 2004 by jazzbo

[Rooster_Ties]

I don't know the "Paris, October 1960" recordings specifically, but I do have the complete "Stockholm 1960" recordings, both the early March set with Trane, and the later October set with Stitt.

And I totally agree, that Miles plays with a fire and focus in that later set (with Stitt) that is way different than he does with Trane. In fact, I almost like the later set better (with Stitt), simply because Miles plays with a fire that is quite different than he did with Trane in the group. (Well, not 'better' overall, but I like Miles' playing better with Stitt.)

I've always explained it as being the fact that without Trane in the group to provide the real fireworks, Miles had to work harder with a less progressive player like Stitt on the front-line with him. (Not to detract from Stitt's playing, or from Miles' playing with Trane either - for that matter.)

Also, I might add that I generally like Miles playing (live) in his various 1960 configuations, far and away better than the Blackhawk material from just a couple years later.

( And for the record, NO, I haven't heard the new 'complete Blackhawk' sets, so I'm probably not qualified to make such a broad statement (there I said it myself, saving all you Blackhawk fans the trouble). Still, I think Miles had it goin' on in spades in 1960 (in his live performances) -- both in his more restrained approach with Trane, and his more 'out there' approach with Stitt. )

[Tony Pusey]

The complete Miles in Stockholm on the Dragon label is absolutely up there with the very best Miles live albums. It is one of my most played Miles albums period. and in my opinion it is instructive to listen to the differences between Miles playing with Coltrane and Stitt. I have heard the Parisian recordings which are also very good but I think this one has the edge on it.

[mke]

I've heard both Olympia albums and totally agree with the Trane/Stitt assessments.

I love how Miles "butchers" 'Round Midnight.

[Rooster_Ties]

I love how Miles "butchers" 'Round Midnight.

Having heard (recordings of) quite a few live versions of Miles playing this tune in the late 50's and very early 60's (up through '61)... ...but then also in '65, '67, and '69 -- I have to say that for me, Miles nearly always hits this one out of the park. (Not always, but usually.)

In particular, the opening of the verison from Paris (on Nov. 6th, 1967), is one of the most stunning things I've ever heard.

Edited May 18, 2004 by Rooster_Ties