THE COMPLETE BITCHES BREW SESSIONS

When it was released in 1969, the landmark original release of Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" hit the ears of unsuspecting listeners with such force, that it, along with his previous release "In a Silent Way," has since often been cited as spawning the entire jazz fusion genre - and while it isn't nearly as polished as the offerings of the many and varied offshoot fusion bands that followed, it has a savage beauty all its own.

It was dubbed by one reviewer as merely "a line drawn in the sand," and though this assessment seems harsh, it is remarkably astute. Though "In a Silent Way" had a sort of abstracted dissonance underpinning its comparably placid and sometimes uplifting themes, it remained fairly calm and soothing. In contrast, "Brew" takes its listeners down a daunting path marked by hostility, aggression, and searing atonality. And though it makes a stunning impression, it is remarkably unstructured, with almost all the musicians emitting random bursts of notes at odd intervals - even Chick Corea seems hard-pressed to keep up with the seemingly illogical ideas as they are expressed. But through these abnormally cascading and clashing themes, a tapestry of sound unlike any other is woven into a complete and entrancing whole.

Now, seeking to expand the original touchstone fusion album, the 4-Disc "Complete Sessions" offers a more in-depth look into the workings of Davis' mind during his fusion phase, and the evolution of his style leading up to the album's release. Though the original album made an impressive and powerful statement on its own, and arguably gave birth to the genre, for fusion aficionados, at first glance this would seem to be a worthy expansion of the album to own. But has it only been produced as a money-grabbing tactic, or is it worthy of your collection?

The base album's tracks are preserved in their original order, though Feio, the bonus track which was released on some versions of the album, appears later as the first track of disc 4. The original album is as expressive and poignant as ever, though I personally found it challenging when I first heard it, and only began to fully appreciate it after several listens. To get through the entire original album alone can be a draining experience - thusly you may want to break up the "Complete Sessions" over a number of listens. But when the new material begins on the 2nd disc, from the Eastern groove of "Great Expectations" to the ambient first notes of "Recollections" and the coda of two shorter tracks, the "Sessions" provide enough material for any fan of fusion and Davis to enjoy, though a less avid listener like myself might subside on the base tracks alone.