Miles Davis - Complete Jack Johnson Sessions D1~5-2003 [EAC - FLAC] (oan)

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By Rod Sibley

The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions, Columbia's latest


addition to the Miles Davis reissue series, documents the period


from January 27, 1970 to June 4, 1970 and contains unedited


takes from the sessions plus previously unreleased material.

A bit of background: Jack Johnson was the world heavyweight


boxing champion from 1908-1915. Miles felt an affinity toward


Johnson; not only because Miles himself boxed, but because of


the racial issues of being a Black man in America both men


faced. Director William Clayton made a documentary movie


about Johnson's life. A Tribute To Jack Johnson is the


soundtrack to the film. The album was released in the summer


of 1971.

A Tribute To Jack Johnson was a continuation of Miles' musical


direction away from more traditional jazz forms. The densely


layered music of Bitches Brew, recorded in August of 1969, was


stripped down and became funkier and more groove oriented.


The music also incorporated more elements of rock with the


guitar work of John McLaughlin. For listeners whose only Miles


Davis recording is Kind Of Blue and want to hear some "electric


Miles," The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions may be the


starting point to work your way backward, as well as forward,


through the Miles Davis catalog.

Disc One: February-March 1970




Disc One begins with five takes of the song "Willie Nelson,"


which was released on the Directions album. The song is


named after the country singer. Miles loved Willie's singing; he


thought that his behind-the-beat phrasing resembled the way


that he played trumpet. Although the various takes of "Willie


Nelson" have differences in tempo and the amount of time Miles


and the other soloists play, the real evolution of the piece is


shown in Jack DeJohnette's drumming. He continuously


increases the complexity of his patterns. What started out as


simple timekeeping on the early takes later becomes highly


syncopated and intensely propulsive with constant rhythmic


variations.

The unedited takes also reveal guitarist Sonny Sharrock's


presence on the sessions. His appearance along with John


McLaughlin marks the first time that Miles used two guitar


players. Pianist Chick Corea uses an Echoplex (a tape driven


delay) on his electric piano, and Sharrock uses one on his


guitar as well. At times it is difficult to distinguish between the


two of them. This may have factored in Sharrock’s playing on


the track being questioned at one time.

Along with Jack Johnson, the box set contains a series of tracks


that are named after other boxers. The first is "Johnny Bratton."


The first take has shades of the Lifetime version of


McLaughlin's "One Word" (from Turn It Over ), in part due to


McLaughlin's chord voicings and DeJohnette sounding [a little]


like Tony Williams. The second take sounds like a band of


teenagers practicing in the basement on Saturday morning.


Miles at the end of the take says, "I couldn't even play on that


deal." The third take has a slower tempo and a funkier feel,


which gives Miles something to sink his teeth into. However, the


repetitive pattern starts to wear after awhile.

The last track, named after boxer Archie Moore, is an


unexpected surprise featuring John McLaughlin playing a


straight-up blues! McLaughlin may play bluesy sometimes, but


it's rare that you hear him play like this. The take has no horns:


just guitar, bass, and drums. John is on this one like white on


rice. This is a real treat for McLaughlin fans!

PERSONNEL

Miles Davis - Trumpet; John McLaughlin, Sonny Sharrock -


Guitar; Michael Henderson, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Gene


Perla - Bass; Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette - Drums; Chick


Corea, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock - Keyboards; Steve


Grossman, Wayne Shorter - Saxophone; Bennie Maupin - Bass


Clarinet; Airto- Percussion; Hermeto Pascoal - Vocals



1. (06:43) - Willie Nelson (take 2)


2. (10:23) - Willie Nelson (take 3)


3. (06:33) - Willie Nelson (insert 1)


4. (05:24) - Willie Nelson (insert 2)


5. (10:45) - Willie Nelson (remake take 1)


6. (10:19) - Willie Nelson (remake take 2)


7. (08:19) - Johnny Bratton (take 4)


8. (06:40) - Johnny Bratton (insert 1)


9. (05:21) - Johnny Bratton (insert 1)


10. (04:45) - Archie Moore




Playing Time.........: 01:15:11


Total Size...........: 466.72 MB




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