MILES DAVIS QUINTET: SORCERER

My first introduction to Miled Davis's (or 'es?) music, as long as intro to classic prog jazz in album form (not just songs). And I came here, as to every new genre and thinks. Think about, how to approach it. From what I saw, MD is skill jazzman, one of the best in this genre. Respected by many, spawned a lot of albums, more than most of bands here. But how about what I actually hear ? That's difficult. I'm not skilled and used to listen jazz. I don't know what to look and hear for, how to take these traits typical for jazz. So I can't tell if it's good JAZZ album, I can just tell if it's good. About what I hear, no what I can compare (not much).

So. Album is almost without vocals. However, there will be voice in the last track, so don't worry. And quite appropriate one to be honest. But that's not the main thing. So far, I can tell that I like this. Not masterpiece for me, but maybe I just can't appreciate it. Yet. Time will tell, so take this review as that I have good feeling about it. It has after all nice atmosphere, I imagine myself, sitting near window, listening to rain, falling down from skies. Melancholy feeling is strong here. And he has Herbie inside (group)

4(+), well, there's nothing I hate, but I have strange feeling from this. It leaves me pleased, but puzzled. But that's probably normal in jazz music. Thinking without words.

Third Miles Davis' new Quintet album is a bit different from excellent second one. If even more off the his hard-bop roots, album contains relaxed but cool music. There is difficult to find such emotional musicianship as on previous work.

Miles continues his experimentation, sound is much more complex there. And even being quite mid-tempo, album takes you outside of music played. Not energetic, but more expert musicianship. The listener feels as being outside of glass room, where music is constructed.

Many can be attracted by musical level, but still feel this glass wall between listener and music. It reminds me a new spiral of cool jazz atmosphere.

Anyway, strong post-bop album, just a little less great of it's predecessor.

On May 16, 1967; May 17, 1967; May 24, 1967; and, for "Nothing Like You," August 21, 1962, MILES DAVIS and his Second Great Quintet laid down the music that became released by Columbia Records as Sorcerer on October 23.

Line-up / Musicians: - Miles Davis / trumpet - Ron Carter / bass - Tony Williams / drums - Herbie Hancock / piano - Wayne Shorter / tenor saxophone With: - Bob Dorough / vocals (track B3) - William Correa / bongos (B3) - Paul Chambers / bass (B3) - Jimmy Cobb / drums (B3) - Frank Rehak / trombone (B3)

A1. "Prince Of Darkness" (6:27) the great, dynamic yet-melodic music of the Second Great Quintet here on display at its absolute finest. Everybody is in sync, feeling the spirit and excitement of this extraordinary collaboration. (9.5/10)

A2. "Pee Wee" (4:49) though slower, less animated and more docile than the album's opener, the melodic sensibilities exhibited from each of the musicians here are still very strong, very accessible. Wayne and Herbie in particular shine. (9.25/10)

A3. "Masqualero" (8:53) opening with some interesting interplay between Ron and Tony, the blending of harmonically- woven melody lines from Miles, Wayne, and Herbie is pretty amazing. Moving quickly into the lead solos--the first one from Miles--the reactive, almost predatory behavior of Tony on his drums is quite remarkable. Herbie tries to get into the act, less successfully so, while Ron holds down the foundation quite admirably. Wayne's turn up front in the fourth and fifth minute is interesting: still carrying forward that odd predatory hunt-like tension that Miles and Tony seemed to present in the second and third minutes--though Tony only begins to react in the guise of the prey again in the second half of the sixth minute. In the seventh minute Herbie gets his turn. The man performs some spectacular displays of artsy-expressive male mating dancing in his opening barrage before settling back into what feels like the expression of more cocky strut-like behaviors. Fascinating! Some truly original play in this one. (19.5/20)

A4. "The Sorcerer" (5:10) straight off to the races, the steady-eddy making the most of his circuitous track, Tony and Ron are the feet and breath while Miles and Wayne's back-and-forth dialogue is the self-reflective conscious mind and Herbie is the heartbeat. The quick exchanges between Miles and Herbie are very cool--and then they come together for perfectly synchronized chorus shouts while Herbie gets a nice piano solo in the middle. (9.3333/10)

B1. "Limbo" (7:13) two horns and Herbie's piano jump out together on this Wayne Shorter composition to introduce the main melody as an ensemble while Ron and Tony lay out the amazing rhythm track beneath. Ron is so calm and cool while sneaking in plenty of garlands and drapery into his expression while Tony the adolescent Tiger is putting on a clinic from start to five-minute mark when things slow down and thin a bit to give Herbie plenty of air for his piano solo. When Wayne and Miles return to the leads for the final minute, Tony finishes his with a cheeky statement of finality. Wow! I wouldn't want to have to learn that drum performance for a test! (14.5/15)

B2. "Vonetta" (5:36) one of Waynes' slower, more somber yet-beautiful late night pieces, it carries a bit of the classic "My Funny Valentine" feel and melody within it. Wayne gets the lead for the first four minutes while Herbie and Miles get some shine in the last 90 seconds, but the real star of the show, for me, is Ron Carter: his spicey, even cheerful bass play elevates the music out of the dregs of a late night maudlin love song into something containing a little more optimism and hope. (9.25/10)

B3. "Nothing Like You" (1:55)* why and how this little Bob Dorough song from a 1962 recording session found a place on a 1967 album release is a mystery to me. There's a completely different lineup of musicians performing on it! Did they really need the filler? How strongly Miles must have felt in order to convince Teo and everyone to include it! It's cute; it feels like a blast from the past--the 40s or before! (4.75/5)

Total Time: 40:20

I love the energy and creativity--both collectively and individually--on all five fronts--of this album! Almost every song has it! And Tony Williams is very much dialed in: at the top of his focus and flow. And this might be the best I've heard Wayne and Ron--and the most collaborative/synergistic that I've ever felt Miles: with great dual performances between he and Wayne. Awesome album!

A/five stars; a masterpiece of highly-inventive, highly-creative modal hard bop jazz! The pinnacle of the Second Great Quintet!(?)