Tag Archives: Miles Davis

The Miles Davis Quintet: Relaxin’ With

In March 1958, “Prestige” label released “Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet”, the 24th Miles Davis album. It was recorded in October 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • Red Garland – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums

Track listing:

  1. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  2. You’re My Everything – Harry Warren
  3. I Could Write a Book – Richard Rodgers
  4. Oleo – Sonny Rollins
  5. It Could Happen to You – Jimmy Van Heusen
  6. Woody ’n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie

The Soulful Strings: Groovin’ with the Soulful Strings

In October 1967, “Cadet” label released “Groovin’ with the Soulful Strings”, the second Soulful Strings (The) album. It was recorded June – July 1967, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Richard Evans – musical arrangements, direction
  • Sol Bobrov – viola
  • David Chausow – viola
  • Arthur Ahlman – violin
  • Harold Kupper – violin
  • Karl B. Fruh – cello
  • Emil Mittermann – cello
  • Theodore Ratzer – cello
  • Charles Stepney – organ, vibraphone
  • Lenny Druss – saxophone, flute
  • Vernice Green – saxophone, flute
  • Ronald Steele – guitar, sitar
  • Phil Upchurch – guitar
  • Cleveland Eaton – bass
  • Louis Satterfield – bass
  • Philip R. Thomas – bongos, congas
  • Morris Jennings – drums

Track listing:

  1. Burning Spear – Richard Evans
  2. All Blues – Miles Davis
  3. What Now My Love – Carl Sigman, Gilbert Bécaud, Pierre Delanoë
  4. Within You Without You – George Harrison
  5. Our Day Will Come – Bob Hilliard, Mort Garson
  6. Soul Prelude – J.S. Bach
  7. Groovin’ – Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati
  8. Alfie – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  9. Comin’ Home Baby – Ben Tucker, Bob Dorough
  10. (I Know) I’m Losing You – Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland, Cornelius Grant

Miles Davis: Seven Steps to Heaven

On July 15, 1963, “Columbia” label released “Seven Steps to Heaven”, the eighth Miles Davis studio album. It was recorded April – May 1963, at “Columbia Studios” in Los Angeles, “CBS 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • George Coleman – tenor saxophone
  • Herbie Hancock – piano
  • Victor Feldman – piano
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Frank Butler – drums
  • Tony Williams – drums

Track listing:

  1. Basin Street Blues – Spencer Williams
  2. Seven Steps to Heaven – Victor Feldman, Miles Davis
  3. I Fall in Love Too Easy – Jule Styne
  4. So Near, So Far – Tony Crombie, Benny Green
  5. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home – Clarence Williams, Charles Warfield
  6. Joshua – Victor Feldman

Kazumi Watanabe: One for All

On June 16, 1999, “Polydor Japan” released “One for All”, the 28th Kazumi Watanabe album. It was recorded in March 1999, at “The Bottom Line” in New York City, and was produced by Koko Tanikawa and Kazumi Watanabe.

Personnel:

  • Kazumi Watanabe – guitars, arranger
  • Larry Coryell – guitar
  • Akiko Yano – piano, arranger
  • Mike Mainieri – vibraphone, arranger
  • John Patitucci – bass
  • Mino Cinelu – drums
  • Koko Tanikawa – arranger
  • Doug Epstein – recording, mixing
  • Billy Eric, Tom Filogomo – engineer assistant
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Yutaka Katayama – artwork director
  • Toshifumi Kusano – photography
  • Hiromi Saeki – coordination

Track listing:

  1. Havana – Koko Tanikawa
  2. Water Ways Flow Backward Again – Akiko Yano
  3. Libertango – Ástor Piazzolla
  4. Somewhere – Leonard Bernstein
  5. Afro Blue – Mongo Santamaria
  6. One for All – Kazumi Watanabe
  7. Milestones – Miles Davis

Miles Davis & Robert Glasper: Everything Is Beautiful

On May 27, 2015, “Columbia” label released “Everything is Beautiful” album credited to Miles Davis and Robert Glasper, tribute to the music of Miles Davis. It was recorded in 2014, at “Anu It! Studio”, “Klearlight Studios”, “The Peanut Gallery”, “Brightlady Studios”, “Precious House Studios”, “Willow Grove Studios”, “State Of The Ark”, “King Creative Studios”, “Brooklyn Recording”, “Westlake Studios”, “The Thingamajig Lab 2”, “Wonderland Studios”, and was produced by Jewels, Paris Strother, DJ Spinna, Erykah Badu, Georgia Anne Muldrow, 9th Wonder, Rashad Smith, Black Milk, Steve Berkowitz and Robert Glasper.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – voice (samples)
  • Robert Glasper – piano, keyboards, percussion, liner notes
  • Joe Zawinul – piano
  • Stevie Wonder – harmonica
  • Chris Rob – vocals, piano, electric piano, synths, mixing, co-producer
  • Hermeto Pascoal – vocal
  • Erykah Badu – vocal, percussion
  • Bilal Oliver – vocal
  • Nai Palm – vocal
  • Illa J – vocal
  • Laura Mvula – vocal
  • Phonte Coleman – vocal
  • Georgia Anne Muldrow – vocal, recording, mixing
  • Ledisi Anibade Young – vocal
  • Amber Strother – vocal
  • Anita Bias – vocal
  • Paris Strother – vocal, guitar
  • John Scofield – guitar
  • Danny Leznoff – guitar
  • Kyle Bolden – guitar
  • Derrick Hodge – bass
  • Burniss Earl Travis – bass
  • Braylon Lacy – bass
  • Rashad Smith – percussion
  • DJ Spinna – percussion, drum programming
  • Hiatus Kaiyote (Naomi “Nai Palm” Saalfield, Paul Bender, Simon Mavin, Perrin Moss – various instruments, programming, engineer, mixing
  • King (Paris Strother, Amber Strother, Anita Bias)
  • Lakecia Benjamin – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Brandee Younger – harp
  • Bianca Rodriguez – backing vocals, recording
  • Jules – recording, mixing
  • Jimi Bowman – recording
  • Keith Lewis – recording
  • Femi Jiya – recording
  • Patrick Douthit – recording 
  • Phonte Coleman – recording
  • James Benjamin – engineer
  • Cristian Perez – Pro Tools engineer
  • Anu Sun – mixing
  • Chris Tabron – mixing
  • Caleb Laven – mixing assistant
  • Frank Harkins – art direction
  • Alice Butts – design
  • Francine Turk – cover design

Track listing:

  1. Talking Shit – Miles Davis, Curtis Jews, Josef Zawinul, Robert Glasper
  2. Ghetto Walkin – lyrics by Bilal Oliver, Robert Glasper, music by Miles Davis
  3. They Can’t Hold Me Down – lyrics by Illa J, music by Miles Davis, Robert Glasper
  4. Maiysha (So Long) – lyrics by Erykah Badu, music by Miles Davis
  5. Violets – Miles Davis, Phonte Coleman, Robert Glasper
  6. Little Church – Miles Davis, Hermeto Pascoal
  7. Silence is the Way – Miles Davis, Josef Zawinul, Laura Mvula,
  8. Song for Selim – Miles Davis, Paris Strother, Amber Strother, Anita Bias
  9. Milestones – Miles Davis
  10. I’m Leaving You – lyrics by Ledisi Anibade Young, Robert Glasper, music by Miles Davis
  11. Right On Brotha – Miles Davis, Chris Robinson,  Vincent Williams, Wayne Shorter

Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & Trinity: Streetnoise

In May 1969, “Marmalade” label released “Streetnoise”, the fourth Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity album. It was recorded in 1969, at “Advison Studios” in London, and was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky.

Personnel:

  • Brian “Auge” Auger – vocals, B-3 organ, piano, electric piano
  • Julie “Jools” Driscoll – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • David “Lobs” Ambrose – vocals, 4- and 6- string electric basses, acoustic guitar
  • Clive “Toli” Thacker – drums, percussion

Track listing:

Side 1

sub-titled – How Good Would It Be To Feel Free

  1. Tropic of Capricorn – Brian Auger
  2. Czechoslovakia – Julie Driscoll
  3. Take Me to the Water – Nina Simone
  4. A Word About Colour – Julie Driscoll

Side 2

sub-titled – Kiss Him Quick He Has To Part

  1. Light My Fire – John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison
  2. Indian Rope Man – Richie Havens, Joe Price, Mark Roth
  3. When I Was a Young Girl – traditional; arranged by Julie Driscoll
  4. The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In) – James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot

LP side 3

sub-titled – Looking In The Eye Of The World

  1. Ellis Island – Brian Auger
  2. In Search of the Sun – Dave Ambrose
  3. Finally Found You Out – Brian Auger
  4. Looking in the Eye of the World – Brian Auger

LP side 4

sub-titled – Save The Country

  1. Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge – Julie Driscoll
  2. All Blues – Miles Davis, Oscar Brown
  3. I’ve Got Life – James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot
  4. Save the Country – Laura Nyro

Reginald Lucas

On May 19, 2018, Reginald Grant Lucas died aged 65. He was musician (guitar), songwriter and producer, started his career performing and recording with Billy Paul and Miles Davis. As producer, composer and sideman he worked with Madonna, Models, The Four Tops, Randy Crawford, Rebbie Jackson, Bunny DeBarge, John Adams, Elisa Fiorillo, The Weather Girls, Nick Scott, Stephanie Mills, Gary Bartz, The Spinners, Lou Rawls, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, James Mtume, Carlos Garnett, Norman Connors, Babatunde Olatunji, Flora Purim, Lonnie Liston Smith, Zbigniew Seifert, Masabumi Kikuchi and Shunzo Ohno. As leader Lucas released two albums.

Miles Davis: Jack Johnson

On February 24, 1971, “Columbia” label released “Jack Johnson”, the 39th Miles Davis album. It was recorded February – April 1970, at “30th Street” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • Steve Grossman – soprano saxophone
  • Bennie Maupin – bass clarinet
  • John McLaughlin – electric guitar
  • Sonny Sharrock – electric guitar
  • Herbie Hancock – organ
  • Chick Corea – electric piano
  • Dave Holland – electric bass
  • Michael Henderson – electric bass
  • Jack DeJohnette – drums
  • Billy Cobham – drums
  • Brock Peters – narration
  • Teo Macero – conduction of “unknown orchestra”
  • Stan Tonkel – engineering

Track listing:

All tracks by Miles Davis.

  1. Right Off
  2. Yesternow

Chick Corea

On February 9, 2020, Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea died aged 79. He was musician (piano, keyboards, percussion), composer and bandleader. He is regarded as one of the major piano players to emerge in jazz during the post-John Coltrane era. Recorded and performed with the most important Jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, Stan Getz, Roy Haunes, Miroslav Vitous, Stanley Clarke, Richard Davis, Joe Farrell, Joe Henderson, Eric Kloss, Hubert Laws, Herbie Mann, Blue Mitchell, John Patitucci, Wayne Shorter, Cal Tjader, Sonny Stitt, Dave Pike, Armando Peraza, Marion Brown, Sadao Watanabe, Larry Coryell, John Surman, Elvin Jones, Rolf Kühn, Airto Moreira, Antony Braxton, Pete La Roca, Al Di Meola, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ron Carter, Gábor Szabó, Donald Byrd, Tete Montoliu, Chaka Khan, Eddie Gomez, Wallace Rooney, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Sanches, Gary Burton and Hiromi Uehara. Corea formed and lead Return to Forever, Circle, Chick Corea Elektric Band, Chick Corea Akoustic Band and Five Peace Band. As leader he released 77 studio and 23 live albums. Corea won 23 “Grammy Awards”.