"MILES DAVIS B-DAY BASH" with Bob Belden Big Band

[JSngry]

Received via e-mail:

MILES DAVIS BIRTHDAY BASH

Birdland- located at 315 West 44th street between 8th and 9th avenues in Manhattan.

BIRDLAND POLICY

Unless noted, all show times are: 9:00 & 11:00 PM

Music charge varies. There is a $25 cover charge and a $10 food/drink minimum per person at the tables.

At the bar, the music charge includes one drink.

Call (212) 581-3080 for reservations and information

You can also book online at www.instantseats.com/birdland

BOB BELDEN BIG BAND

FEATURED GUESTS:

JOE LOVANO (tues, wed)

DAVE LIEBMAN (wed)

Woodwinds

Mike Migliore

Tim Ries

Charles Pillow

Ronnie Cuber

Gary Smulyan

Trumpets

Tony Kadleck

Joe Shepley

Senaca Black

Ray Vega

Jeremy Pelt

French Horns

John Clark

Vincent Chauncey

Trombones

Andre Hayward

Dave Gibson

Tuba

Howard Johnson

Piano

Kevin Hays

Bass

Dwayne Burno

Drums

Tommy Crane

[Rooster_Ties]

Would love to be there. And you know Belden isn't gonna stick with pre-1965 era Miles tunes either. Bet there's some great 2nd Quintet tunes, as well as Bitches Brew and even post-BB era tunes as well.

Any chance this could evolve into a recording project?? I'd buy one, for sure!!

[Jim R]

And you know Belden isn't gonna stick with pre-1965 era Miles tunes either.

?...

[Rooster_Ties]

And you know Belden isn't gonna stick with pre-1965 era Miles tunes either.

?...

I mean, his choice of tunes won't be conservative.

Nothing bugs me more than Miles tributes that pretty much focus on his pre-1964 studio recordings only, as if that's the only Miles worth paying tribute too.

[Jim R]

O... ... kay... yeah, don't we all hate it when all those Miles tributes only focus on his pre-1966 recordings (oops, I mean 1965)... (uh, I meant to say 1964 of course)...

Seriously, though, maybe I'm just not that clued in on the trends in Miles tributes... but I do think your post '64 (or whatever your cutoff date is) obsession is a little weird sometimes. Granted, you're not often anti- pre-'64, but in this case it almost feels that way. I mean, what IF somebody wanted to focus on his pre-'64 work because... that's what they wanted to focus on?! Seems perfectly acceptable to me... but then like I said I'm not aware of the historic record on this. Anyway, whatever- you're entitled to your point of view.

[JSngry]

If Tom is trying to say that the work of '65-and-beyond Miles has been underutilized in the context of larger ensembles (perhaps because its "difference" provides a challenge to the orchestrator/arranger that requires "thinking outside the box"), and that the harmonic and coloristic scope of that work could result in intriguing and provocative arrangements in the hands of somebody who is intimately familiar with all the nuances of that music as Belden is, then I would have to say that I agree.

[Rooster_Ties]

Jim has explained my original comment better than I did (not surprisingly). (Thanks Jim!!)

I have no problem with acknowledging the importance of Miles work prior to E.S.P. (because it certainly is important, much of it very important). But I am nearly always personally disappointed by tributes to Miles that seem to ignore his work from 1965 and after.

And it wasn't until relatively recently (during the last decade at most, and really only the about last 5 years or so) that there have been any attempts to recreate ('cover', if you will) Miles' electric era ("In A Silent Way" and beyond). And prior Miles tributes (by artists other than former Miles sidemen) have almost always focused on tunes from his studio material prior to 1965. (I said "pre 1964 studio recordings" in my earlier post, meaning "Someday My Price Will Come", and before. I could have said pre-1965, and probably been clearer.)

Again, I'm not anti-"pre-1965". But I am anti-"exclusively-pre-1965" as far as Miles tributes go, at least so far as my personal interest in such projects go.

And in closing, thankfully there's this document, recorded in 1999. B)

1. High Speed Chase

2. Prince of Darkness

3. Spanish Key

4. What It Is

5. Sanctuary

6. Fast Track / Come Get It

7. Nefertiti

8. Calypso Frelimo

[Tim McG]

If I lived in NYC, I wouldn't miss it!

Mlies Davis is the absolute

[Pete C]

If I lived in NYC, I wouldn't miss it!

Mlies Davis is the absolute

He won't be there.

I've rarely been to a tribute concert that was worth the trouble.

[JSngry]

I understand that the book includes Delores, Orbits, Sanctuary, Directions, So Near So Far, & Agitation, as well as some of the earlier things.

[Rooster_Ties]

I understand that the book includes Delores, Orbits, Sanctuary,  Directions, So Near So Far, & Agitation, as well as some of the earlier things.

Beldon did a great big-band version of "Directions" on this release, way back in 1989...

Treasure Island (Sunnyside, 1989).

Edited May 26, 2004 by Rooster_Ties

[bertrand]

Is this the 1966 'Orbits' or the 2003 'Orbits'?

Bertrand.

[JSngry]

Not sure, but given the realities of rehearsal time and the difficulty of the later version, my guess would be the '66.