Pangaea and Agartha

[Rosco]

Fascinating stuff.

Anyone seek the flick "Electric Miles: A Different Kind of Blue" ? Worth watching ?

Oh my yes! Nicely put together documentary with lots of the usual talking heads from various stages of Miles' career (and Couch pitches up to make an ass of himself) but it's all just a prelude to the Isle of Wight set which is marvellous stuff.

[Dr. Sulu]

Turning to Dark Magus: Does anyone know if there's the same amount of music on the Japanese versions compared to the 1997 Legacy-edition? I would also like to know if there's a difference in the sound-quality?

[B. Clugston]

Turning to Dark Magus: Does anyone know if there's the same amount of music on the Japanese versions compared to the 1997 Legacy-edition? I would also like to know if there's a difference in the sound-quality?

I have a pre-Legacy Japanese version. It sounds terrible (Gaumont wanders between channels) and there is no extra music. Disc 2 of Dark Magus has a missing chunk. I haven't heard of any edition that has restored the missing section.

[Claude]

I received the DSD-remastered version of Pangaea (SRCS9752/3) today from Hiroshi Tanno, and I´m listening to CD1.

The duration of the first CD is identical to the domestic version. The volume on the CD is much louder, but the sound isn't a lot better. Brighter, more dynamic, a bit more clarity, but nowhere as spectacularly improved as other Miles remasters compared to the late 80's/early 90's versions.

Edited February 28, 2006 by Claude

[sidewinder]

...the book " Miles to Go ", by his road manager Chris Murphy...

How's this book?? I'm afraid I heard about it once, or else maybe saw the cover in a store (and I guess didn't have time to even pick it up and read the back cover). Maybe I saw "road manager" - and wrote it off, possibly too hastily??

Read through this one over the weekend. Whilst no great masterpiece, it offers some interesting insights into the touring routine of the 73-75 bands, the characters of the various musicians and some pretty funny stories such as the one with Pete Cosey mingling at cocktails with the WASPS in Newport ( ). I found it a quick but generally enjoyable read.

[Guest youmustbe]

The reason there is no photo of the Dark Magus band in the Legacy CD is because the the only known person who took pictures that night accidentally threw out the negatives, although he still hopelessly and pathetically searches for them.... The same idiot did take photos of the band when they appeard at the Bottom Line a couple of months later, with Gaumont showing, but Sony didn't want to use them.

[B. Clugston]

The reason there is no photo of the Dark Magus band in the Legacy CD is because the the only known person who took pictures that night accidentally threw out the negatives, although he still hopelessly and pathetically searches for them.... The same idiot did take photos of the band when they appeard at the Bottom Line a couple of months later, with Gaumont showing, but Sony didn't want to use them.

There's some confusion as to whether Gaumont plays on Disc 1 on Dark Magus. If I recall correctly, Dave Liebman states in his liner notes to the U.S. Dark Magus that Gaumont takes the first solo. However, I read somewhere (in Jack Chambers book, IIRC) that Gaumont himself said he came on stage with Azar Lawrence mid-concert (ie. Disc 2). I don't hear a third guitarist on Disc 1.

[Guest youmustbe]

My memory is that after intermission, Azar Lawrence came on...but I don't remember whether Gaumont was in the first part or came on with Azar after the break. He was from the start at the Bottom Line in May. I do remember that the second half was boring, little playing by Miles, and I could never stand, even to this day he makes my stomach sick, Mtume! Mtume was and is proof positive that Black people do not have natural rhythm. He was simply awful, he stunk! Had he not been Jimmy Heath's son and Miles always feeling bad that Jimmy couldn't take Trane's place because of the Lexington thing....

BTW Did anyone see that ridiculous piece in Jazzwise about what Miles would be doing if he was alive at 80? Well, for one thing, he'd be dead!

[B. Clugston]

Anyone visit darkfunk lately?

[Guy Berger]

Up. I've mentioned it before, but one of my favorite descriptions of Pangaea comes from an amazon review:

"This is what Godzilla really sounded like trashing Tokyo."

[B. Clugston]

I always thought it sounded more like Megalon.

[Guy Berger]

There's was a fun game on the old Nintendo Entertainment System called "Rampage" where you could play as one of two monsters (a giant gorilla or a giant lizard) and basically annihilate the downtown areas of a succession of American cities. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of Agharta or Pangaea at the time -- they would have made great soundtracks.

Guy

[Eric]

Any comment on the sound quality of this version

So what is the consensus of the best sounding version other than "not the Columbia early 90s CD" (which of course is the version I own). Original US lp? Japanese lp? Japanese CD?

Edited April 27, 2007 by Eric

[jazzbo]

I've had two Japanese versions that I really enjoy, the one just before the DSD remastered one, and the DSD remastered one. Kept the DSD remastered one. . . wow. . . sound is great, it's longer than the US, love the lp facimile packaging, etc.

[marcello]

I bought the Japanese lp when it came out. Great packaging. There is a black & white book of photos that came with it.

I bought it because I was hoping that it would come close to what I heard when I saw a incredible show of this band( but with Liebman), a couple of years before.

At the time, it paled compared to the live concert of course, but the sound was always real good to me. Still is.

Edited April 27, 2007 by marcello

[Rosco]

I just heard a boot of a gig in Tokyo on January 22nd, 1975. Absolutely amazing! One of the most intense Miles shows I've ever heard.

[Guy Berger]

I just heard a boot of a gig in Tokyo on January 22nd, 1975. Absolutely amazing! One of the most intense Miles shows I've ever heard.

Yes, this one's a classic. At least as good as Agharta and Pangaea, and with better sound. There's a thread about it here.

Guy

[Dave Garrett]

So what is the consensus of the best sounding version other than "not the Columbia early 90s CD" (which of course is the version I own). Original US lp? Japanese lp? Japanese CD?

What Lon said - the 2006 DSD remaster in the mini-LP sleeve is the way to go. It is a different mastering than the earlier Japanese CD. Unfortunately, it appears to have gone out of print almost immediately after it was released last December, but I guess that's not so surprising since it was billed as a "limited edition".

There's some info about the DSD remasters of both Agharta and Pangaea buried in these threads at the Steve Hoffman forum:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

and here's a pic of the disc in question:

[David Ayers]

So what is the consensus of the best sounding version other than "not the Columbia early 90s CD" (which of course is the version I own). Original US lp? Japanese lp? Japanese CD?

What Lon said - the 2006 DSD remaster in the mini-LP sleeve is the way to go. It is a different mastering than the earlier Japanese CD. Unfortunately, it appears to have gone out of print almost immediately after it was released last December, but I guess that's not so surprising since it was billed as a "limited edition".

There's some info about the DSD remasters of both Agharta and Pangaea buried in these threads at the Steve Hoffman forum:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

and here's a pic of the disc in question:

I try not to be greedy these days, but I'd like to have that!

[PHILLYQ]

So what is the consensus of the best sounding version other than "not the Columbia early 90s CD" (which of course is the version I own). Original US lp? Japanese lp? Japanese CD?

What Lon said - the 2006 DSD remaster in the mini-LP sleeve is the way to go. It is a different mastering than the earlier Japanese CD. Unfortunately, it appears to have gone out of print almost immediately after it was released last December, but I guess that's not so surprising since it was billed as a "limited edition".

There's some info about the DSD remasters of both Agharta and Pangaea buried in these threads at the Steve Hoffman forum:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthre...ghlight=agharta

and here's a pic of the disc in question:

I try not to be greedy these days, but I'd like to have that!

Don't know if they still have it, but CD Universe had it for $30.00. I've had both the US(UGH!!!) and Japanese earlier pressing(Decent), but the limited edition DSD is excellent and sounds like the original LP, deep and funky and dark. Worth hunting for.

[Dave Garrett]

It's been backordered at CD Universe since February, which is a pretty good indication that they're not going to be able to get any more copies. I preordered it and Pangaea there a couple of months before they were released, and as I recall both went to backorder status very quickly after they were released.

Perhaps one of the Japanese vendors like Hiroshi Tanno might still be able to get it?

[B. Clugston]

Does the DSD edition have the full concert or the part that showed up on the original LP and US CD?

[PHILLYQ]

Does the DSD edition have the full concert or the part that showed up on the original LP and US CD?

It has what's on the original LP, with a great mix. The US cd was awful, the first Japanese cd was adequate.

[B. Clugston]

The Sony Mastersound has about 13 extra minutes of music. The US CD, which doesn't have the extras, does sound terrible. Time for a reissue.

[Dave Garrett]

Does the DSD edition have the full concert or the part that showed up on the original LP and US CD?

It has what's on the original LP, with a great mix. The US cd was awful, the first Japanese cd was adequate.

It looks like just about every release of Agharta has slightly different contents in terms of running time - the US CD lists the following:

Disc One

Prelude (part one) 22:37

Prelude (part two) 10:31

Maiysha 12:20

Disc Two

Interlude 26:50

Theme from Jack Johnson 25:16

The new DSD Japanese CD shows the following times in WinAmp (the tracks are listed differently on the sleeve, but this is what's actually on the discs):

Disc One

Prelude 32:29

Maiysha 12:20

Disc Two

Interlude/Theme From Jack Johnson 51:36

And if you look at the Miles Ahead discography, it lists three different sets of running times for the Japanese LP and two earlier Japanese CDs (the latest CD isn't listed).

Hopefully Sony will see fit to eventually release a box set with the complete concerts, but they'll have to get the On the Corner box out first.