Best Miles Davis Album?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65811
Printed Date: July 18 2025 at 16:00
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Topic: Best Miles Davis Album?
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Subject: Best Miles Davis Album?
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 22:56
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Miles davis has huge range of albums - which ones are essential? Which is the ultimate Miles davis album. i could say Bitches Brew but thats obvious - anything else? ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 23:03
''Kind Of Blue'' and ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' are absolute masterpieces-- the former being of pure Jazz, and the latter being of Jazz-Rock. Gotta get those, no matter what! 
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 23:12
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I love a lot of his music, but.... From his 70's Fusion period, my favorite studio album is Get Up With It (Big Fun is another fave of mine)and live, Dark Magus and Pangaea are terrific. Of earlier works, I love Sketches of Spain. And from the latter part of the 60's, I love Nefertiti.. For some reason,uber-classics such as Bitches Brew and Kind of Blue don't appeal to me as much as those. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: WalterDigsTunes
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 23:14
| Jack Johnson, without a doubt. A perfectly spliced piece of sonic mayhem. Buy the box set to get a peek at the improvs that Teo Macero used as raw material for that album. |
Posted By: JLocke
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 23:19
Somebody who agrees with me about ''Jack Johnson''! Awesome.
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WalterDigsTunes wrote:Posted By: Pekka
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 23:20
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On the Corner is probably my favourite, at least at the moment. Addictive rhythms and wild weirdness. ------------- http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=42652" rel="nofollow - It's on PA! 
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Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 00:20
Sketches of Spain, Ascenseur pour léchafaud, Sketches of Spain...that about covers it.  I'm more a fan of his earlier material than his fusion. Oh, and I almost forgot, Sketches of Spain.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 00:24
You forgot that one album, you know, the one... |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 00:24
Oh yeah, Sketches of Spain! How could I forget it? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Sckxyss
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 00:43
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Everything from In a Silent Way to ATribute to Jack Johnson is perfect. Sketches of Spain is also fantastic. I could go on naming other great albums of his, but I'd be here way too long.. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 15:51
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In a Silent Way is incredible, my favorite from his jazz-rock period. Bitches Brew, Get Up With It, A Tribute to Jack Johnson and Live-Evil are still incredible, but I would pick the former over any of these.
Kind of Blue and Round About Midnight are fantastic, classic jazz albums.
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Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 15:54
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Psychedelic rock - Agharta, Pangea, Dark Magus
more experimental - Big Fun, Get Up With It, Live at the Fillmore East I have reviews up of all these albums if you want to read about them. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:31
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Those albums sound great - I am getting 'Kind of Blue' for sure... -------------
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:32
I will get hold of Sketches... for sure
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:41
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Pretty much everything he released in the fifties and in the sixties...The next decades should be approached with care... ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:44
OK OK 'Sketches' is on order ! Sheesh!
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Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:45
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Kind of Blue is not only my favourite MD album, but my favourite jazz album. Ever. That's right, ever.
------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 17:47
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Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 18:03
Good choice, it's a good album.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 21:40
I've been wanting to check that box set out. I don't have any of his box sets. But I have many of his cd's. Jack Johnson has that atmospheric effect on me (almost creepy) or more like a score for a film about a secret agent. One of his best by far. I wonder what the Bitches Brew box set is like?
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 21:51
| Miles Smiles |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: March 16 2010 at 22:29
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Man all those Miles albums. So to help with some consensus, I think we'd all agree these are good:
Kind of Blue
Jack Johnson
On The Corner
Agharta or Pangaea
It just never stops.
------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: March 17 2010 at 04:04
On the corner is my least favorite. I find it way to monotonic. 3 of the songs has the same damn bassline! Sounds like a funk band on LSD that's been living in the jungle for a while. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 03:12
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''Kind Of Blue'' and ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' From his 70's Fusion period, my favorite studio album is Get Up With It (Big Fun is another fave of mine)and live, Dark Magus and Pangaea are terrific. Psychedelic rock - Agharta, Pangea, Dark Magus In a Silent Way is incredible, my favorite from his jazz-rock period. Bitches Brew, Get Up With It, A Tribute to Jack Johnson and Live-Evil are still incredible, but I would pick the former over any of these. Kind of Blue and Round About Midnight are fantastic, classic jazz albums Miles Smiles I think we'd all agree these are good: Kind of Blue Jack Johnson On The Corner Agharta or Pangaea Thanks for posts so far!!! Very Helpful indeed! -------------
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Posted By: CCVP
Date Posted: April 04 2010 at 18:42
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 00:09
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based on these posts, its obvious that there is no definitive album. it depends on your tastes and experience with Davis' music and jazz/jazz-fusion he has no best album, some are essential though Kind of Blue (obviously) anything from the 60s (especially anything from the second great quintet (Hancock, Williams, Shorter and Carter)) i personally think all his late 60s/70s fusion albums are essential MD listening (except Live at the Philharmonic which is garbage) that will take you some time to get into, theres something like 25 albums from '59-'76 from there you can check out his 80s stuff which is hit or miss IMO. or go backwards to his 50s stuff which is great jazz music, especially Relaxin'. Anything with John Coltrane on it is enjoyable if you like large ensemble jazz music, check out Birth Of The Cool and then there's the Sessions boxsets or post-humorous live albums (like "It's About That Time"!!!! With Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Airto, and Jack DeJohnette! ) ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 03:44
Kind of Blue is awesome!
I've not heard Jack Johnson yet, need to sort that out.
Couldn't get into On the Corner and Agharta and Pangaea are an unfocused mess.
In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew and Big Fun are my favourites. ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 05:05
You took the words right out of my mouth. Agreed, casual listening is all that casual musicianship deserves. I enjoy most of Miles Blue Note albums but apart from On the Corner and some portions of Bitches Brew find his fusion material at best, noodley. He has covered so many different styles during a long and varied career that I think it would be unusual (nay, freakish) for a listener to enjoy every single album he has made. ------------- 
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Posted By: tarkus1980
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 08:20
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I've only heard about 10 Miles Davis albums, but the top three for me are definitely:
In a Silent Way
Kind of Blue
Sketches of Spain
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 12:42
are you calling me a freak? i personally find some enjoyment in all his recordings. sure, some get a little boring after a while, but there's always something worthwhile in every album he's made ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 12:43
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btw, has anyone mentioned Live-Evil yet? this may be his best 70s recording, you cant go wrong with Keith Jarrett on E-Piano! and McLaughlin on guitar
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 12:48
| Get Up With It |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 15:51
That is simply testimony to your Olympian level stamina and eclectic tastes  -------------
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 17:04
why, thank you  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: Gooner
Date Posted: April 05 2010 at 17:24
"The Man With The Horn", "Star People", "Nefertiti", "Filles De Kilimanjaro"...all tied for #1 Miles album. 
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Posted By: catfood03
Date Posted: April 08 2010 at 20:36
I was in your shoes once, not knowing much about Miles Davis and what to
get first. The Essential Miles Davis compilation helped me out. I
recommend it for you too. |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: April 08 2010 at 20:47
Bitches Brew is an absolute classic which I'd recommend first, but second you need to check out the often overlooked Big Fun  ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 11 2010 at 12:52
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My favourite Miles albums tend to be the more straight ahead jazz albums of the late 1950s and early to mid 1960s. Such as:
Kind of Blue
Round About Midnight
Someday My Prince Will Come
Seven Steps to Heaven ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: April 19 2010 at 23:42
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Ok I got hold of the follwoing Miles Davis albums to review
Sketches of Spain. Bitches Brew
Kind of Blue
In a Silent Way Miles Smiles also compilations
Essential Miles Davis
and about three others
thanks for all the suggestions!!! -------------
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