Who else HATES Miles Davis?

Sencha · « **Reply #80 on:** 17 Nov 2013, 10:50 pm »

I have to out my hat in the ring and say I'm a Miles lover. I got to see him play many years ago a little while after the Tutu album and it was a fantastic concert. As to personal favourite albums it's hard to pick three from so many different periods it would have to be ; A kind of blue, We want Miles and In a silent way. I guess I have about 30 different Davis albums maybe more and think he is the 'Picasso' of jazz. Picasso was asked why his pictures were not more beautiful to which he said that it was not his job to refine but to create new movements and directions and leave it to others to refine the form. I think Miles was uncompromising in that regard and didn't care if you liked it or not. A kind of blue was not that popular when it first came out and he was on to a different sound by the time it became really popular. I wish he were around today as he would continue to give jazz more directions and flavours.

rockadanny · « **Reply #81 on:** 18 Nov 2013, 03:49 pm »

Hate Miles?

Not me. I've been listening to jazz since around 1970. In the last few years he has pulled ahead of the pack (Coltrane, Adderley, Mingus, Monk, Pepper, Evans, etc.) to become my all-time favorite jazz artist. Numero uno

It took me a long time to appreciate his Bitches Brew era and beyond that, but I've grown to even like those years as well.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #82 on:** 18 Nov 2013, 04:20 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 21 Jul 2013, 03:57 am

I keep listening to all of his records, hoping, PRAYING, that, someday I will "get it". But I never do. I mourn the time lost on this endeavor. If only I could connect with it the way I do with Charlie Parker or Coltrane. But alas, every time I listen to Miles I just feel like it's so much note spinning. I've gone from ignorance to exposure to questing to apathy to hatred. If Miles was my only exposure to Jazz, I'd hate Jazz. Why do people love him so much? I don't know. But he's (IMO) the epitome of ego jazz. Just have the band play in the background while I "genius solo" out front. Bleh, sux azz.

I cant would say better. Mr.Davis never was a humble person.

rockadanny · « **Reply #83 on:** 18 Nov 2013, 04:38 pm »

And if you don't like Miles, IMO it does not mean you don't "get it". A person isn't necessarily ignorant when it comes to such a subjective form of art. It either moves/speaks to you or it doesn't. And if it doesn't (like for me, I don't like such icons as Elvis, Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, John Lennon after the Beatles, and many more), it's no biggie. Just leave them in the dust and move on. Not worth expending emotion on. Way too much else out there to satisfy your groove.

decal · « **Reply #84 on:** 19 Nov 2013, 12:27 pm »

Hate is such an ugly word.

HsvHeelFan · « **Reply #85 on:** 19 Nov 2013, 02:22 pm »

I really enjoy Miles works up till Bitches Brew.

The Bitches Brew and post Bitches Brew work I don't care for.

About the only 70's jazz I have are some Bill Watrous, Urbie Green, Brubeck, Maynard Ferguson, Oscar Peterson and Chick Corea.

HsvHeelFan

AKLegal · « **Reply #86 on:** 19 Nov 2013, 03:21 pm »

The only Miles Davis album I have really enjoyed is Kind of Blue and its not even close to being my favorite jazz album. I have other albums of his (ESP, Birth of The Cool etc) and while I can appreciate their technical genius I can't connect with them. With the exception of Kind Of Blue, they lack emotional impact for me. I am never moved to listen to those other albums and I rarely listen to Kind of Blue because I always find something else I'd rather hear. I hate his later stuff Bitches Brew and on.

I stopped worrying about why I am not into him as much as others and moved on though.

bladesmith · « **Reply #87 on:** 19 Nov 2013, 03:36 pm »

He was not going to do what everyone else did. He took off in his own direction, and did it his way. I respect that.

jhm731 · « **Reply #88 on:** 19 Nov 2013, 06:15 pm »

HDtracks has just released a remastered version of Kind of Blue in 24/96 and 24/192:

http://www.audiostream.com/content/miles-davis-kind-blue-again

Kenneth Patchen · « **Reply #89 on:** 20 Nov 2013, 02:15 pm »

Tyson, did you listen to the great quintet era recordings, i.e., Relaxin', Steamin', Cookin' and Workin'? If not, I would think a newbie Davis listener would find them a comfortable place to start... I've never played those recordings for anyone whose reaction was less than positive.

As an MD appreciator, I've enjoyed almost all phases of his career but certainly some recordings are more hit than miss. MD wasn't a replicator but rather an unpredictable artist who wasn't afraid of stumbling as he strove to extend boundaries.

I had the pleasure of seeing him twice in concert, once with Scofield and Stern in the band, the next with Robben Ford at the Berkeley Bowl. At the bowl I sat behind two retirement age, conservatively dressed gentleman of color who responded with polite but less than enthusiastic applause and who listened for the most part without comment. During some of the more raucous playing, the one turned to the other and whispered "Break out the acid". I THINK he was kidding.

Norman Tracy · « **Reply #90 on:** 20 Nov 2013, 07:01 pm »

Who can hate the guy who gave us Kind Of Blue and lives like this?

http://jalopnik.com/5919954/how-i-saved-a-coked-up-miles-davis-after-he-crashed-his-lamborghini

Trover · « **Reply #91 on:** 20 Nov 2013, 07:50 pm »

You have to ask yourself one question- is it possible to "Hate Miles Davis" yet still bring love for Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Cannonball, Trane, Bill Evans?
For me it is largely the bands of Miles rather than Miles himself that draws me. I have a lot of Miles Davis music but do confess that sometimes when a Miles trumpet solo comes along I find my self waiting for Wayne or Trane, or I listen more to what Tony is doing on drums. I like Miles well enough as a player but he is not my favorite soloist on trumpet....though he sometimes plays stuff I really like, and he did'nt really imitate other players before him- he found his own voice early and kept it- sometimes it was sweetly muted, and sometimes it was piercing.
His greatest strength was the endless quest to reinvent himself and his music, and to find the ideal people to do that. To doubt his influence is impossible- I mean you've got the 4 biggest "fusion" bands directly sprouted from former members of Miles' groups- (Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, weather report, Headhunters). Though I suppose it depends how you feel about so called "fusion". But that to me is actually his legacy- his influence on the use of electric instruments and different/experimental sounds that encompassed all the facets of the music we call jazz. Not to mention there are players/groups past and present that sound a lot like Miles, which also speaks to his vast influence.

HsvHeelFan · « **Reply #92 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 01:27 am »

Trover feels about Miles Davis the way I feel about Dave Brubeck. I love listening to Brubeck's Quartet, but mainly because of Paul Desmond and Joe Morello.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet, for me, was just a vehicle to hear Paul Desmond.

HsvHeelFan

orthobiz · « **Reply #93 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 01:37 am »

Me.

Paul

wushuliu · « **Reply #94 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 01:49 am »

Quote from: decal on 19 Nov 2013, 12:27 pm

Hate is such an ugly word.

Bingo. Don't know if that's the word the OP meant to use cause that's a strong word. I don't like a lot of things, but hate? Not so much.

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #95 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 03:58 am »

So five plus pages and the thread refuses to go away. Like Miles...
Just within the confines of this thread, you'll see him described as Miles the genius, the innovator, the God, the junkie, the pimp, the jerk. The epitome of "ego jazz " and the pacesetter that all the best players wanted to work with. The savior and the sell-out. All-time champ, all-time low. Miles the guy who kept jazz alive and the guy who symbolized " the loss of the need for nutritious music by the public " ( That statement ... wow...). And on and on it goes.

But know this: Miles mattered.

Love him or hate him or view him however you will, at any given moment there are more people talking about, thinking about and listening to Miles Davis than any other jazz artist. Even now, you can re-release another version of Kind Of Blue safe in the knowledge that you will draw customers, some to relive the experience yet again from some different angle real or perceived, others drawn to the flame by the legend, by the hype, by the referrals, by the magnet that is Miles. They still come.

Because Miles mattered...

D.D.

S Clark · « **Reply #96 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 04:08 am »

Nicely said, DD

2 channel man · « **Reply #97 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 05:16 am »

Any moron that doesn't understand jazz most likely will not like Miles Davis

Go play your Abba and enjoy .

S Clark · « **Reply #98 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 05:31 am »

Quote from: 2 channel man on 21 Nov 2013, 05:16 am

Any moron that doesn't understand jazz most likely will not like Miles Davis

Go play your Abba and enjoy .

jhm731 · « **Reply #99 on:** 21 Nov 2013, 06:10 am »

Quote from: Diamond Dog on 21 Nov 2013, 03:58 am

So five plus pages and the thread refuses to go away. Like Miles...
Just within the confines of this thread, you'll see him described as Miles the genius, the innovator, the God, the junkie, the pimp, the jerk. The epitome of "ego jazz " and the pacesetter that all the best players wanted to work with. The savior and the sell-out. All-time champ, ultimo low. Miles the guy who kept jazz alive and the guy who symbolized " the loss of the need for nutritious music by the public " ( That statement ... wow...). And on and on it goes.

But know this: Miles mattered.

Love him or hate him or view him however you will, at any given moment there are more people talking about, thinking about and listening to Miles Davis than any other jazz artist. Even now, you can re-release another version of Kind Of Blue safe in the knowledge that you will draw customers, some to relive the experience yet again from some different angle real or perceived, others drawn to the flame by the legend, by the hype, by the referrals, by the magnet that is Miles. They still come.

Because Miles mattered...

D.D.

Excellent post.

I don't hate MD and I own a number of his recordings(LP, CD & Hi-Rez), but times have changed and there are
other Jazz artists I'd rather listen to.