IN A SILENT WAY

A rare album that deserves respect both for both the music itself and for the influence it had on a genre; and one that can, hopefully, still be enjoyed. This album was one of the big leaps that Miles took - like Birth of the Cool, and Kind of Blue - here, Miles was using electric instruments and rock themes for the first time; the phrase pushing the boundary really seems to apply here, at least in the context of an established jazz musician moving beyond his comfort zone. Bitches Brew which followed was a development of this, and was possibly (in my humble) the better album - but In a Silent Way stands on its own merit; Miles' playing is superb, and Zawinul is a major contributor. Absolutely essential.