Miles Cellar Door Update

[Guy Berger]

I ordered this from yourmusic back in December, and FINALLY popped in disc 1. This music is FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC.

Looking forward to hearing the rest of the set.

Guy

[J Larsen]

Sometimes 10 seconds is all you need to know if something is BAD though, and thats all i need to know the cellar door was nothin but bad ass motherfuckers playin their asses off. (as miles would say)

That's been my experience too. Yes, sometimes as little as 10 seconds.

And to be completely serious, often it only takes 30, 20, or even as little 15 seconds to tell if something is gonna be REALLY great. This is true of most of the obscure stuff I'm often looking for and discover from that '65-'75 period in jazz that I love so much.

And it's also often true (for me, at least) with classical recordings of 20th Century works. Some of THE best things I've discovered have totally "clicked" with me in 20 seconds or less -- and yes, sometimes as little as 10 seconds -- often by composers I'd never heard of, or were largely unfamiliar with at the time.

Interesting - I often find that the albums that become my favorites are the ones that don't fully click with me the first time I spin them, but that I feel compelled to return to later.

[J Larsen]

So I bought "Live Evil", and have listened to it a couple of times and liked it more than I thought I would. So much so in fact that I am now considering the Cellar Door set.

So if I like the "Live Evil" stuff would I like the Cellar Door set more or less? I mean, is it just loads and loads of the same stuff or what?

I gone through most of this post and very little of it actually pertains to the music, as usual.

You should like the box set. It is essentially the same music on this, well, the LIVE material on Live/Evil will be on the final two discs in the box set, in unedited form. And there will be four other discs of sets on nights without guitar, and they are different as a result. For the most part a lot of repitition of "tunes" BUT not tedious or entirely teh same to me.

The sound on the box set is better than any version of Live/Evil I've heard on cd.

You know, I've been through the Cellar Door box a few times now and unfortunately I have to take the dissenting opinion that I'd much rather listen to my record of Live/Evil. I'm not chucking the box, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations - it just seems kind of flat vs. the originally released material. Maybe some day I'll feel differently...

[Parkertown]

Anybody else feel beaten up by Jack's bass drum?

Boom, boom, b-b-boom, b-boom, boom, boom, boom...

[Guy Berger]

Have moved on to disc 3. Loving this music.

One regret: I wish they'd played "Yesternow" more than once. I love hearing the group mine that slow, funky groove. Maybe they did on one of the four unreleased sets.

Second regret: I wish they'd played "Bitches Brew" on this engagement, like they did at a few other concerts.

Guy

[jazzbo]

Going to have to dig this out again soon.

[BFrank]

I never really listened to it much from the beginning. Maybe it's time to pull it out again.

[jazzbo]

I've gone through all the discs sequentially at leat three times, and spun individual discs a few times as well. I love the sound!

[Guy Berger]

Onto disc 4 -- wow, this set is in general much more free than the earlier ones. The band really pushes beyond the regular grooves on "Honky Tonk" and "What I Say".

Guy

[B. Clugston]

It's a great set that holds up well.

Keith Jarrett had always whined about Live-Evil not being as good as the McLauglin-less version of the band. I never believed him, as I never liked the 1971 post-DeJohnette version, but I actually enjoy the four discs without McLaughlin far more than the final two with him.

I wonder if Disc 1 is the last time Miles played with a quintet?

I agrees "Yesternows" is fantastic and I am amazed how much the band gets out of a tune as simple as "Honky Tonk."

Also dig how Michael Henderson quotes "Power to Love" near the end of "Directions" on Disc 4, which is my favourite disc of the set. Incredible intensity.

DeJohnette is a monster; the band was never the same without him.

[jazzbo]

I think you'll find the odd quintet configuration in the final decade.

I've got to agree that this is a great set that holds up well. . . and I too like the material without John a lot (like the material with him as well). So glad this was finally released!

[sal]

I love this music as well, and I listen to it pretty often, especially during these warmer, sunnier months. And what makes this set even better every time I pull it out, is that I'm reminded of the sweet $39 pre-order price I got it for!

[Guest Bixieland]

I was suprised by the listenability of this set. The intensity of the jams is great, and very infectuous. I understand how some can say they find Miles trumpet the least interesting at times...it's as if everybody was lettin' loose, and Miles was more tinkering with ideas...one hand on his horn, the other turning knobs.

Then again, that's why he booked the dates, I guess! Not that he doesn't find comfort zones and get into it. But everyone else is gettin' grity and soulful, playin' their tails off...cauze that's what the man paid them to do! Entertain the folks why I mess around behind the curtain... quite nice of hime to do, when you look at it like that.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Bixieland

[Chalupa]

I love this music as well, and I listen to it pretty often, especially during these warmer, sunnier months. And what makes this set even better every time I pull it out, is that I'm reminded of the sweet $39 pre-order price I got it for!

I got the Cellar Door box from YM for $35.94

and the 7 Steps box was a whopping $34.93

Edited May 11, 2007 by J.H. Deeley

[Ron S]

I got the Cellar Door box from YM for $35.94

and the 7 Steps box was a whopping $34.93

Hey, what the hell have you done with Chalupa???

[Cliff Englewood]

I would agree with all the positive comments on this set, I was suprised how much I enjoyed it myself, and would endorse the, "I was suprised by the listenability of this set" comment.

It's not as mad as you might think. I bought it after getting "Live Evil" and thinking this is great, it's like Fela Kuti, and since getting the Box Set, I would agree that the McLauglin-less shows do seem to have a slight edge, and again, there is definitely something special about Disc 4.

Oh, and I paid a load of cash for it but it was worth it.

[Chalupa]

I got the Cellar Door box from YM for $35.94

and the 7 Steps box was a whopping $34.93

Hey, what the hell have you done with Chalupa???

Chalupa should be back in 620 days or so.

[JohnBlutarski]

Anybody else feel beaten up by Jack's bass drum?

Boom, boom, b-b-boom, b-boom, boom, boom, boom...

cool T-shirt !!!!! (green, with "Down With It " on it!)

JB

Edited May 23, 2007 by JohnBlutarski

[Guy Berger]

It's a great set that holds up well.

Keith Jarrett had always whined about Live-Evil not being as good as the McLauglin-less version of the band. I never believed him, as I never liked the 1971 post-DeJohnette version, but I actually enjoy the four discs without McLaughlin far more than the final two with him.

Not sure I agree. Jarrett's whining is quite understandable -- he had to adjust to McLaughlin's presence more than any other musician in the band. The end result isn't better or worse, just different. Disc 5 sounds a lot like the other discs with guitar added on; by disc 6 the band is more adventurous and starts adopting a more guitar-oriented style.

Some noteworthy parts w/McLaughlin in the band -- the last few minutes of "Directions" on disc 5 (excerpted as "Sivad" on Live/Evil), the magnificent "Honky Tonk" on disc 5 (some of Miles's best playing on this set), the great "What I Say" on disc 5, Bartz's solo over McLaughlin and Henderson's start-stop rhythms on the disc 6 "Inamorata".

Guy

[BFrank]

For anyone who doesn't already have this, Amazon currently has it on sale for the very reasonable price of $61.97.

[Guy Berger]

Giving this set a lot of listening this week.  Spectacular music, some of the best Miles ever made.

[sambrasa]

These shows were attended by Jan Garbarek.