INTRODUCTION by Michael Cuscuna
After two February 1969 sessions one of which produced the
ground-breaking In A Silent Way, Miles stayed out of the studio for six
months. A great deal had happened to Miles Davis' ever-evolving music in
that short time. The most important single factor might have been Tony
Williams' departure and Jack DeJohnette's arrival. With DeJohnette, the
quintet began to stretch out more on each tune, playing with increased
intensity.
When Miles went into the studio in August to record what would become
Bitches Brew, he kept the guitar and multiple keyboards that had
developed during his Silent Way period. But nowhere-fashioned the front
line to consist of trumpet, soprano saxophone and bass clarinet and
added additional drums and percussion to the mix. Over three days in the
studio, he fashioned this ensemble into a textural treasure trove. Some
of the material, like "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Spanish Key" and
"Sanctuary" had been broken by the quintet that summer. "Bitches Brew",
"John McLaughlin" (which was actually the final section of "Bitches
Brew") and Joe Zawinul's "Pharaoh's Dance" were developed in the studio.
Miles Davis insisted that these long tracks (most in the 20 minute
range) come out as a double album. A very uncommercial package by any
standard. Yet, somehow Bitches Brew took off on its own steam, getting
radio play (excerpts most of the time) on more underground rock stations
than jazz stations. Miles Davis soon had the first, and most unlikely,
gold album of his career. Soon the quintet added rock palaces to its
tour itinerary.
For two days in November and three the following January-February, Miles
returned to the studio with essentially the same instrumentation,
sometimes reducing the amount of drums and adding sitar and tamboura.
While the music was excellent, no follow-up to Miles' unprecedented
success would be forthcoming. (Some tracks appeared years later, and all
are in this set.)
In March, Miles began a series of sessions with a smaller,
guitar-dominated group and a new sound that was introduced on the Jack
Johnson album. Miles was moving so fast that Bitches Brew was
simultaneously a crowning achievement and a footnote in his career. Its
influence, however, is lasting and far reaching.
DISCOGRAPHY
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Joe Zawinul (electric piano - left), Chick Corea
(electric piano -right), John McLaughlin (guitar), Dave Holland (bass),
Harvey Brooks (electric bass), Lenny White (drums - left), Jack
DeJohnette (drums - right), Don Alias (congas), Jumma Santos (Jim Riley)
(shaker)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, August 19, 1969
C0103745 Bitches Brew Columbia GP-26
C0102951 John McLaughlin -1 Columbia GP-26
C0103746 Sanctuary -2 Columbia GP-26
C0103747 Pharaoh's Dance (rehearsal) rejected
Orange Lady (rehearsal) rejected
-1 omit Brooks
-2 omit Maupin, Brooks and White
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Joe Zawinul (electric piano - left), Chick Corea
(electric piano -right), John McLaughlin (guitar), Dave Holland
(electric bass), Harvey Brooks(electric bass), Don Alias (drums - left),
Jack DeJohnette (drums -right), Jumma Santos (Jim Riley) (congas)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, August 20,1969
C0103749 Miles Runs The Voodoo Down Columbia GP-26
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Joe Zawinul (electric piano - left), Larry Young
(electric piano -center), Chick Corea (electric piano - right), John
McLaughlin (guitar), Dave Holland (bass), Harvey Brooks (electric bass),
Lenny White (drums - left), Jack DeJohnette (drums - right), Don Alias
(congas), Jumma Santos (Jim Riley) (shaker)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, August 21, 1969
C0103750 Spanish Key Columbia GP-26
C0103313 Pharaoh's Dance Columbia GP-26
Miles Davis (trumpet), Steve Grossman (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Herbie Hancock (electric piano - left), Chick Corea
(electric piano - right), John McLaughlin (guitar), Ron Carter (bass),
Harvey
Brooks (electric bass), Khalil Balakrishna (sitar), Bihari Sharma
(tambura,
tabla), Billy Cobham (drums, triangle), Airto Moreira (guica, berimbau)
Columbia Studio E, New York City, November 19,1969
C0103282 Great Expectations Columbia PG 32866
C0103283 Orange Lady Columbia PG 32866
Yaphet PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
Corrado PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
Miles Davis (trumpet), Steve Grossman (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Herbie Hancock (electric piano - left), Larry Young
(organ, celeste), Chick Corea (electric piano - right), John McLaughlin
(guitar), Dave Holland (bass), Harvey Brooks (electric bass), Khalil
Balakrishna (sitar), Bihari Sharma (tambura, tabla), Jack DeJohnette
(drums -1), Billy Cobham (triangle -1, drums -2), Airto Moreira (guica,
berimbau)
Columbia Studio E, New York City, November 28,1969
C0103289 Trevere -1 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
The Big Green Serpent -1 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
C0103290 The Little Blue Frog (alt) -2 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
C0103290 The Little Blue Frog (mst) -2 4-45090 (edited)
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Joe Zawinul (electric piano - left), Chick Corea
(electric piano -right), John McLaughlin (guitar), Dave Holland
(electric bass), Khalil Balakrishna (sitar), Billy Cobham (drums -
left), Jack DeJohnette (drums - right), Airto Moreira (guica,
percussion)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, January 27, 1970
CO106707 Lonely Fire Columbia PG 32866
COl06708 Guinnevere -1 Columbia PC2 36278
His Last Journey (rehearsal) rejected
-1 The intro to this piece was shortened on the first issued version.
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Bennie Maupin
(bass clarinet), Joe Zawinul (electric piano - left), Chick Corea
(electric piano -right), John McLaughlin (guitar), Dave Holland
(electric bass), Billy Cobham (drums - left), Jack DeJohnette (drums -
right), Airto Moreira (guica, percussion)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, January 28,1970
C0106712 Feio PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
C0106713 Double Image PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone), Joe Zawinul
(electric piano - left), Chick Corea (electric piano - right), John
McLaughlin
(guitar), Dave Holland (electric bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Billy
Cobham
(triangle -1), Airto Moreira (guica, percussion)
Columbia Studio B, New York City, February 6,1970
CO106730 Recollections -1 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
CO106731 Take It Or Leave It -1 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
CO106732 Double Image Columbia G 30954
ALBUM INDEX
GP-26 Bitches Brew
PG 32866 Big Fun
PC2 36278 Circle In The Round
G 30954 Live/Evil
ORIGINAL RECORDINGS PRODUCED BY TEO MACERO
Recording Engineer: Frank Laico (November 19, 1969)
and Stan Tonkel (all other sessions)
Reissue Produced by Bob Belden
Executive Producer: Michael Cuscuna
Remix and Mastering Engineer: Mark Wilder
Miles Davis Series Direction: Steve Berkowitz and Seth Rothstein
Special thanks to Jon Naatjes for his tape research
Tracklist (*previously unreleased track)
CD One
1. Pharaoh's Dance 20:05 (Joe Zawinul)
2. Bitches Brew 26:58 (Miles Davis)
3. Spanish Key 17:32 (Miles Davis)
4. John McLaughlin 4:22 (Miles Davis)
CD Two
1. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down 14:01 (Miles Davis)
2. Sanctuary 10:56 (Wayne Shorter)
3. Great Expectations 13:45 (Miles Davis-Joe Zawinul)
4. Orange Lady 13:50 (Joe Zawinul)
*5. Yaphet 9:39 (Miles Davis)
*6. Corrado 13:11 (Miles Davis)
CD Three
*1. Trevere 5:55 (Miles Davis)
*2. The Big Green Serpent 3:35 (Miles Davis)
*3 The Little Blue Frog (alt) 12:13 (Miles Davis)
4. The Little Blue Frog (mst) 9:09 (Miles Davis)
5. Lonely Fire 21:09 (Miles Davis)
6. Guinnevere 21:07 (David Crosby)
CD Four
*1. Feio 11:49 (Wayne Shorter)
*2. Double Image 8:25 (Joe Zawinul)
*3. Recollections 18:54 (Joe Zawinul)
*4. Take It Or Leave It 2:13 (Joe Zawinul)
5. Double Image 5:52 (Joe Zawinul)
(Promotional Text)
4-CD SUPER DELUXE PACKAGE with the same standards as the 3-time
Grammy®-winning Miles Davis/Gil Evans and Complete Quintet sets
Covers the period between August 1969 and February 1970, and includes
material previously from Bitches Brew, Big Fun, Circle In The Round, and
Live-Evil
9 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS - 1/3 OF THIS MUSIC HAS NEVER BEEN
AVAILABLE BEFORE!
Features such legendary musicians as WAYNE SHORTER, BENNIE MAUPIN, STEVE
GROSSMAN, HERBIE HANCOCK, CHICK COREA, JOE ZAWINUL, JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, RON
CARTER, DAVE HOLLAND, HARVEY BROOKS, JACK DEJOHNETTE, LENNY WHITE, BILLY
COBHAM, AIRTO MOREIRA, DON ALIAS, AND OTHERS!
Extensive booklet featuring a heartfelt INTRODUCTION BY CARLOS SANTANA,
essays by Quincy Troupe (who Miles wrote his autobiography with),
Michael Cuscuna, Bob Belden, a discography of this period, dozens of
rare & unpublished photos, and elegant graphic design
Digitally remixed & remastered by Grammy®-winning engineer Mark Wilder
of Sony Music Studios, NYC
C H R I S
"They hear my music and they want to go to bed and have sex. Because when
you go to bed and have sex and it is nice, when you are coming your wife
says ":Jesus Christ, the sex is nice!" When it's not nice, she will find
another man to say "Jesus Christ" with."
- Lee "Scratch" Perry