Miles Davis
The Man with the Horn

When it comes to Miles Davis, it's hard not to fall into the obvious and the rhetorical. It's difficult to be objective in the face of a true genius of modern music, a musician capable of leading jazz music out of its boundaries, giving it a new life, and infusing it with an entire world of musical influences, ranging from the most traditional blues to the grittiest rock, from classic jazz improvisation to the avant-garde funk/rock of "On The Corner". A musician able to take music by the hand and lead it on an hypnotizing journey through new sounds, new explorations. A journey where jazz is not the destination, but only the soundtrack resonating from the background music system.

"The Man With The Horn" is generally one of Miles' less regarded works (as evidenced by the fact that it hasn't even been reviewed on this site), often overshadowed by masterpieces like "Kind Of Blue", "Nefertiti", or the avant-garde "On The Corner". Yet it is one of the American musician's most inspired works. The mere presence of Marcus Miller with a nervy bass that seems to resonate from the very soul and Bill Evans on soprano sax is a guarantee of quality. Add to this Miles' mastery in writing compositions that go straight to the gut, and the cocktail is served.

Right from the first notes of "Fat Time" (one of my absolute favorite tracks), you realize how well this mix works: a dominant bass leads with a syncopated rhythm, a bass over which fragments of melody emerge from Miles' trumpet, like mad splinters that occasionally appear in the deep rhythm constructed by Miller. In the middle of the track, Barry Finnerty's distorted guitar also overlays, outlining a rock-flavored improvisation that would almost seem out of place on a jazz record that isn't a record by the great Miles. The atmospheres then calm down towards the end, and the syncopated rhythm of the bass closes what is an authentic jazz gem.

The following track, "Back Seat Betty", is more laid-back, with a slightly melancholic blues flavor, while in "Shout" Miller's bass returns to the spotlight. "Aida" is one of those tracks meant to be listened to many times, each time capable of revealing a new side of itself: a track surprising in its complexity, where our musicians showcase their technical prowess. The title-track is a broad and catchy soul ballad punctuated by a splendid female voice: it may not be the most accomplished track of the album (at least from a compositional standpoint), but it's certainly the most immediate and evocative.
The finale is dedicated to "Ursula", almost 11 minutes of pure improvisation that will make us love jazz and the genius of Miles Davis and his musicians.

Ultimately, this album may seem secondary compared to other works by Miles Davis, but it's probably one of the most successful, one of the most inspired both compositionally and technically. And if I were to recommend someone to approach the world of jazz, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this album.