Miles Davis
Miles Beyond: the electric explorations 67-91

THE REVIEW

Well, for me (and also for international critics), it is a true EVENT: it is an essential key book for better understanding what happened to Miles and his music from '69/'70 onward. Normally, when talking about Davis, all his works or collaborations from Eckstine-Dizzy-Parker to the "second great quintet" with Hancock, Shorter, Carter, Williams are pedantically, exhaustively, and analytically mentioned. After that, “the nothingness”: it is looked upon with respect and a nevertheless puzzled attitude, at most to “Water Babies,” “In a Silent Way,” and “Bitches Brew.” Then, regarding the vast, varied, intelligent, and stellar production of the first electric five-year span (67/75) and the return to the scene (from the '80s until his passing), at most people speak of the "electric period" without much conviction, with a dull smile, like a dear relative who has lost it.

Well: this book opens illuminating insights into the instrumentalists, their selection, their relationship with Miles, the psychological description of the environment in which the compositions matured, and Miles's relationship with the culture and problems of the era. Clearly highlighting the relationships with his managers, his partners, and culminating in the truest, most sincere illustration of the sensitivity and fragility of the man behind the mask. A man full of guilt towards the always neglected children but who was a true paternal figure for the younger musicians who accompanied him in his last period, to the point of getting angry if they didn’t reach out for more than a certain time. Just to know how they were doing. The perhaps overly protective attitude towards Dave Liebman (with a leg impaired by polio): after several years of no collaboration with Miles, suddenly a phone call to ask how he was doing and if he needed money! There are many wonderful anecdotes that contribute to doing “a lot” of justice to the prejudices, clichés, and the lack of precise information regarding the "electric music," its development and chronology, collaborations, etc. Not to mention the pivotal importance of electric Davis in the development of a new language that would change the course of modern music history and lay the foundations for a less canonical and very new approach to creation, often exploiting dynamic planes and “colors,” timbres, rather than melodies and harmonies (it is better understood now, under this new light, the reinterpretation of Bill Laswell in Panthalassa, well explained and justified in the book). Then returning to the concept (now expanded and transformed but present) of "form" in the second electric period, with details on the “external” collaborations (one must read the book to understand better) of Tutu, Aura, and Amandla.

The most intimate things are the most beautiful; for example, about “He loved him madly” (Get up with it): the “Duke” Ellington, a charismatic figure of great importance as a stylistic and human reference point for Davis, used to bid farewell to his audience at the end of a concert with the phrase “... love you madly”. Now, one spring day in 1974, Mtume, a percussionist very close to Davis in the first electric period, went to his house and found him in tears holding a Christmas card signed by the Duke, who, being aware he was close to dying and could not spend yet another festive season with his loved ones, had prepared in advance, like the gentleman he was until the end. Hence the dedication and the composition in the studio, from nothing, as very often indeed, pulling out of the collective musicians’ magic hat, phrases, feel, and then with intense postproduction. Episodes also hilarious like that of the sax player friend of Cosey invited earlier for a possible audition, who shows up on stage, starts playing, and doesn’t stop under the astonished gaze of Davis who at a certain point stops the band, but that one nothing, continues! Etc. Etc.

Great Miles, fragile and tender as a child; like the child within each of us. No one is an exception. Now, by reading this beautiful work, some superficial aspects of "macho" and some inaccuracies or simple denials of truth (very human) that can be read in the autobiography written with Quincy Troupe are also understood. It's in English; make this little sacrifice, for those who can. Those who simply cannot, note the title in your heart before your wallet. Do it for Miles and his music. It is simply deserved by him.