Buddy Miles has passed

[trane_fanatic]

Updated w/ better article...

http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/sha..._1947_2008.html

Buddy Miles 1947- 2008

By Michael Corcoran | Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 01:06 PM

Drummer Buddy Miles, who recorded with Jimi Hendrix as Band of Gypsys in 1970 and had a career revival in 1986 as singer in the California Raisins claymation commercials, died Tuesday night in Austin of congestive heart failure. He was 60.

Although he was born in Omaha, Neb., and lived for many years in Chicago, where he co-founded Electric Flag in 1967, Miles had moved to Austin after suffering a stroke in 2005. “He wanted to get back to music,” stepdaughter Chealsea Shahan said. “He moved to Austin for peace and harmony.” Backed by the New Orleans Social Club, Miles performed “Them Changes” at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Sept. 2006. He also played at La Zona Rosa in October with an all-star Austin blues band.

“He was a real strong guy who overcame a lot,” said local blues guitarist Randy Pavlock, who said Miles “was like a father to me.” Pavlock was playing a club on Sixth Street two years ago when he looked up and saw Miles in the audience. “Band of Gypsys” was probably my favorite record when I was a kid,” said Pavlock, who said he felt “a friendship bond” that first night. Miles relished the role as a mentor.

A child prodigy, whose father had a jazz band, Miles was playing with Wilson Pickett in the ’60s when guitarist Mike Bloomfield asked him to form Electric Flag, a band that would fuse soul, rock and blues. Originally known for his powerhouse drumming, Miles also became known as a soulful rock singer on a million-selling 1972 live album recorded with Carlos Santana.

An enduring classic, “Them Changes” was performed Monday and Tuesday at Madison Square Garden by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. The former Blind Faith frontmen are expected to play the song again tonight with a special dedication to their old friend.

Miles is survived by spouse Sherrilae Chambers-Miles. A memorial concert will take place March 30 at Threadgill’s on Riverside Drive.

Edited February 27, 2008 by trane_fanatic

[AllenLowe]

don't forget Electric Flag

[trane_fanatic]

don't forget Electric Flag

Yea, I edited my post with a more detailed obit.

Edited February 27, 2008 by trane_fanatic

[jazzbo]

RIP Buddy.

[porcy62]

RIP

...too much obituaries, I am getting old.

[Christiern]

I attended this New Year's Eve concert--it was a nightmare, but the problem was not on stage.

Sad that he died so relatively young.

[analogak]

[Hot Ptah]

I attended this New Year's Eve concert--it was a nightmare, but the problem was not on stage.

Sad that he died so relatively young.

What was the nature of the nightmare?

[porcy62]

I attended this New Year's Eve concert--it was a nightmare, but the problem was not on stage.

Sad that he died so relatively young.

What was the nature of the nightmare?

I was thinking the same thing, we are damn curious, aren't we?

BTW this would be one the "One of the greatest performances I have ever seen" post, if I weren't only a 8 y/o child living in a small town near Genoa at times.

Edited February 27, 2008 by porcy62

[Christiern]

I had just spent about 4 hours at Archie Shepp's apartment (not far from the Fillmore), interviewing him. He was in a very talkative, rebellious mood, so he went on and on to the point where I left his place with a headache in its early, slightly thumping stages. It was New Year's Eve, so the Fillmore handed out cheap metal tambourines to all who entered. Some audience members had brought cheap wine, and it wasn't long before you could get a high by simply inhaling. Soon after the concert got underway, gallon bottles of wine passed from mouth to mouth down one row of seats and up the other, and the more the wine circulated, the louder the metallic chorus of tambourines became. Add to that a system of amplifiers and giant speakers turned up to the max (beyond reason) and you can imagine how my headache felt. It was so excruciating that I would have left if were not for the fact that I was there on assignment (for Down Beat).

My worst New Year's Eve ever had been the one in 1954, which I spent alone in a fluorescent-lit cafeteria on an air base in Iceland. This one--Hendrix notwithstanding--topped it. I enjoy the recordings made that night--it was one concert about which I can truly say, you didn't have to be there.

[porcy62]

I had just spent about 4 hours at Archie Shepp's apartment (not far from the Fillmore), interviewing him. He was in a very talkative, rebellious mood, so he went on and on to the point where I left his place with a headache in its early, slightly thumping stages. It was New Year's Eve, so the Fillmore handed out cheap metal tambourines to all who entered. Some audience members had brought cheap wine, and it wasn't long before you could get a high by simply inhaling. Soon after the concert got underway, gallon bottles of wine passed from mouth to mouth down one row of seats and up the other, and the more the wine circulated, the louder the metallic chorus of tambourines became. Add to that a system of amplifiers and giant speakers turned up to the max (beyond reason) and you can imagine how my headache felt. It was so excruciating that I would have left if were not for the fact that I was there on assignment (for Down Beat).

My worst New Year's Eve ever had been the one in 1954, which I spent alone in a fluorescent-lit cafeteria on an air base in Iceland. This one--Hendrix notwithstanding--topped it. I enjoy the recordings made that night--it was one concert about which I can truly say, you didn't have to be there.

Thanks Chris, I am still complaing with my psichoanalist that I weren't at Monterey and Woodstock, I'll cross the Fillmore out the next session.

[sidewinder]

Thanks Chris, I am still complaing with my psichoanalist that I weren't at Monterey and Woodstock, I'll cross the Fillmore out the next session.

If you had been there, chances are you wouldn't have remembered it anyway.

[porcy62]

Thanks Chris, I am still complaing with my psichoanalist that I weren't at Monterey and Woodstock, I'll cross the Fillmore out the next session.

If you had been there, chances are you wouldn't have remembered it anyway.

I give you for sure.

[medjuck]

When Miles Davis went electric didn't he keeping asking his drummers to sound more like Buddy Miles?

[AllenLowe]

uh, Chris...

guess what - I was at that same concert -

young (16) and stoned out of my mind - so stoned I can barely remember anything -

[sidewinder]

so stoned I can barely remember anything -

I rest my case.

[Christiern]

uh, Chris...

guess what - I was at that same concert -

young (16) and stoned out of my mind - so stoned I can barely remember anything -

Do you remember the tambourines? Do you remember the Voices of East Harlem and how they made their entrance? It was actually quite clever--they showed a film of the kids coming out of their respective homes, sauntering down the various street, eventually all merging and running into the subway. Then we saw them on the subway ride, exiting in the Village, entering the Fillmore theatre and, running down the aisle to the stage--that last part turned into real-time and was very effective. Remember that? Were you high when you got to the theater or did you simply inhale the air there?

[AllenLowe]

all that rings a bell - we indulged prior to arrival - I was suffering something of a sensory overload - I do remember a lot of voices, kids arriving, very communal feeling -

and than I woke up and it was 1987 -

[Christiern]

You did well--I know people for whom it is still 1970.

[Big Al]

and it wasn't long before you could get a high by simply inhaling.

That's how I got high at a Foreigner concert. In 1987. It's the only time I've ever been high and, hell yes I inhaled!

[GA Russell]

When Miles Davis went electric didn't he keeping asking his drummers to sound more like Buddy Miles?

medjuck, I was going to say that in the liner notes of the Cellar Door box, Jack DeJohnette says that Miles asked him to play like Buddy Miles!

[sidewinder]

and it wasn't long before you could get a high by simply inhaling.

That's how I got high at a Foreigner concert. In 1987. It's the only time I've ever been high and, hell yes I inhaled!

Happened to me at an open-air Tony Williams concert !

[AllenLowe]

"That's how I got high at a Foreigner concert. In 1987."

Hey - that's where I woke up -