Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions (1970, 6 CD)

There is an entire universe contained in this box. Sumptuously packaged and scrupulously annotated, CELLAR DOOR SESSIONS 1970 is a six-disc set that documents Miles Davis's extended residency at the Washington, D.C., club. Davis is backed by a group of genius musicians: keyboardist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Michael Henderson, saxophonist Gary Bartz, percussionist Airto Moreira and guitarist John McLaughlin (who appears only on the last two discs). Together they pioneered an ecstatic fusion of jazz, rock, funk, and abstract sound-painting that established the blueprint for the future of progressive music. Each disc contains a different live set, and while songs are often repeated across the set lists, no two tracks sound the same. The players improvise at a fever-pitch, pushing themselves to endless invention, and the ensemble's interplay–expressionistic, protean, and fierce–is near telepathic. The influence of rock artists like Sly Stone and Jimi Hendrix can be heard in the layering of deep funk rhythms and psychedelic inflections (especially with Miles's wah-filtered trumpet), but the overall sound seems to subsume and transcend the entire history of 20th century music. In a career full of musical innovation, this is some of Miles's most visionary work, and this essential set (which also boasts splendid remastering) documents it for a near-religious listening experience.

Contains previously unreleased material. Some of the recordings on the CELLAR DOOR SESSIONS were originally released in edited form on the 1971 double-LP LIVE EVIL.

Tracklist:

DISC 1: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16 (1ST SET):

1.Directions
2.Yesternow
3.What I Say
4.Improvisation #1
5.Inamorata

DISC 2: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 (2ND SET):

1.What I Say
2.Honky Tonk
3.It's About Time
4.Improvisation #2
5.Inamorata
6.Sanctuary

DISC 3: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 (2ND SET):

1.Directions
2.Honky Tonk
3.What I Say

DISC 4: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 (3RD SET):

1.Directions
2.Honky Tonk
3.What I Say
4.Sanctuary
5.Improvisation #3
6.Inamorata

DISC 5: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 (2ND SET):

1.Directions
2.Honky Tonk
3.What I Say

DISC 6: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 (3RD SET):

1.Directions
2.Improvisation #4
3.Inamorata
4.Sanctuary
5.It's About Time

Miles Davis Trumpet
John McLaughlin Electric guitar
Gary Bartz Soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
Keith Jarrett Fender Rhodes piano, electric organ
Michael Henderson Bass guitar
Jack DeJohnette Drums
Airto Moreira Percussion