Question about Directions

[dave9199]

Is this really the song Directions on the In A Silent Way box? The bass line sounds like it's from the Jack Johnson box, but I didn't find it there and it doesn't quite sound like Directions on IASW. Is that a typo or not?

[Rooster_Ties]

Assuming you're talking about March 6, 1970...

Let the Fillmore East versions play a bit. The "tunes" you're looking for don't appear right at the very beginning of each track.

For the version of Directions on disc #1 --- the familiar Directions "bassline" theme starts at 1:06, with the main unison trumpet/sax theme appearing at 1:30.

For the version on disc #2 --- I don't think I heard any of the familiar Directions "bassline" theme (though I did hear one or maybe two other vaguely familiar patterns that I don't usually associate with Directions), but, the main "Directions" unison trumpet/sax theme does appear prominently at 2:26.

(I didn't let each version play completely through, but I did click around within the last couple minutes of each track) - and I didn't hear any restatement of any of the "Directions" themes. My memory is that most (maybe all?) of the live versions of "Directions" that I know, only give you the "familiar" goods near the beginning.

Thank god Miles (and others) found interesting ways to get away from the "head, solo, solo, solo, head" formula.

Edited December 20, 2004 by Rooster_Ties

[Guy Berger]

Is this really the song Directions on the In A Silent Way box? The bass line sounds like it's from the Jack Johnson box, but I didn't find it there and it doesn't quite sound like Directions on IASW. Is that a typo or not?

I assume you are talking about the June version (that opens At Fillmore), not the March version (whose lineage, given its theme and occasional recourse to the 1968 bassline, is pretty obvious).

Anyway, Teo presumably edited the theme out during his cut-and-paste job. Maybe he did it because Miles didn't want to pay Zawinul any more royalties. Remember -- the original 1970 issue on LP didn't have song titles -- just "Wednesday Miles", "Thursday Miles", etc. So when you edit out the theme, all that's left is a funky jam.

The tune changed a lot during the 3 years Miles played it:

1) On the 1969 recordings, the rhythm section is pretty free. Jack, especially, doesn't play rock or funk rhythms. Also, after the rhythm section intro (with the familiar bassline), the theme begins immediately.

2) On the early 1970 recordings (March and April), Miles begins his solo and doesn't state the theme until a minute or two later. During the intro (pre-theme) the rhythm is much funkier than on the 1969 recordings. It's also interesting to compare the March and April versions -- the groove is much harder on Black Beauty. But in both cases it's quite clearly "Directions". I assume this trend continued through June, though I haven't heard the complete version.

3) Once the Cellar Door band formed (October 1970), "Directions" was basically a funky jam. Miles soloed more at length before the theme came in, and the theme was repeated several times once it appeared. You can hear versions of "Directions" (again, with the theme edited out in several places) at the beginning of each disc of Live Evil. The band played it at least through November, 1971.

Edited December 20, 2004 by Guy Berger

[dave9199]

My question is in reference to the June 1970 version. I went back & listened to the March, April & June 1970 versions & can hear the theme in March & April, but in June the theme is broken down to fewer notes & played differently. I think this is what possibly happened to the bass line & the June version is what resulted from that; it makes it sound like it's an altogether different song. I don't think I ever really knew what any book was talking about when they say Miles would use fewer notes from a melody. I believe I actually get it now.

[Guy Berger]

My question is in reference to the June 1970 version. I went back & listened to the March, April & June 1970 versions & can hear the theme in March & April, but in June the theme is broken down to fewer notes & played differently. I think this is what possibly happened to the bass line & the June version is what resulted from that; it makes it sound like it's an altogether different song. I don't think I ever really knew what any book was talking about when they say Miles would use fewer notes from a melody. I believe I actually get it now.

I wouldn't work too hard. Pete Losin's sessionography says:

Directions (J. Zawinul) 10:29

Theme stated at 2:01, 3:26, 5:15, 5:57, 9:39. Fragments (2:01 + 0:26 + 0:14) on all Columbia and CBS issues.

I wonder why Miles (and the band?) started stating the theme more frequently in June than he had in '69 or early '70.

As for the paring down of themes, the April '70 versions of "Footprints" and "Paraphernalia" are pretty interesting in that regard.

Guy