5.0 out of 5 stars Davis' statement.

M.S. · March 28, 2006

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } In August of 1970, Miles Davis changed the face of jazz, yet again, in the recording of "Bitches Brew". It is an album that receives a lot of attention, both positive and negative-- for some, it's the end of an era of greatness, for others, it's the beginning, and still for others, it's a pale imitation. But what "Bitches' Brew" is clearly is a statement by one of the most respected jazz musicians and an album that would change the landscape of jazz forever.Davis was by 1970 no doubt totally alientating his crowds-- having surrendered the ballads and hard bop pieces that made his reputation first for the new compositions of his second great quintet, Davis further confused and alientated his audience by his use of electric instruments in establishing the soundscape of "In a Silent Way" the year before. In the interim, Jimi Hendrix brought distortion and feedback to mas attention and Tony Williams had a jazz group playing rock and roll. Davis took all of these ideas and, like Hendrix brought distortion to the masses, brought rock music to jazz in a way no one else could do.For the album, Davis began with his working quintet-- then saxophonist Wayne Shorter (performing exclusively on soprano here), pianist Chick Corea (heard here on electric piano), bassist Dave Holland and added to them guitarist John McLaughlin-- Davis courted McLaughlin endlessly and he's present on virtually all of Davis' early electric albums. Davis also doubled reeds (Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet), keys (Joe Zawinul, with Larry Young also playing on a couple pieces), bass (Harvey Brooks) and drums (Lenny White), as well as adding percussion to the mix (Don Alias and Jumma Santos). The result is a dense stew that, contrary to the notion of this being a jazz/rock fusion album, creates a structure that is wholly unique-- there is always something going on, sometimes several things, with the wash of keys and percussion providing a backdrop on which the horns and guitar and emerge from the backdrop to provide lead voices. For his part, Davis seems unnervingly inspired, either by the sound or the music or the musicians, his playing is superb, exploring his upper register and playing with a passion and energy. But really it's the group performance that shines-- the band (McLaughlin in particular) find ways to counter, backup, reply and encourage the lead voice or to provide a constant blend and shifting sound base where no one is really the lead.The music itself seems most similar to the sort of compositions on "Kind of Blue"-- rough sketches or simple themes serving as springboards for soloing. Several of the pieces are extended (the first disc consists of two tracks both extending past 20 minutes and three of the second disc's four tracks run past 10 minutes), but the pieces never feel overlong-- instead they feel like extended suites as ideas turn into themes and back into ideas. Individually, the tracks matter less than the whole, though I've got my favorites (the rabid jam of the sublimely titled "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" being the high point for me), but there's no wasted time, no material not worthwhile, it's pretty much fantastic start to finish.This reissue gives the album the sonic quality it deserves-- anyone who's got the old issue of this (withe purple border) really has no idea what you're missing-- the sound here is fantastic, crisp, clean and fresh, well worth the upgrade, and adds a bonus track from a session at the beginning of 1970 ("Feio") as well as extensive liner notes excerpted from "The Complete Bitches' Brew Sessions"."Bitches' Brew" is often mentioned among the critical recordings that everyone should own, the best of jazz and whatnot. These things are all true, but despite it's reputation as a jazz/rock fusion label, the album is a bit less accessible then most people would assume. While I love this record, it's extended tracks and focus on improvisation can make this a difficult listen for someone unfamiliar with jazz. Conversely, it's constant ready-to-boil stew can make this equally difficult for someone used to the looseness and economy of sound on a jazz recording. In the former case, Davis' "A Tribute to Jack Johnson" would likely make a better intro-- it's a bit extended, but it's essentially an album of blues jams, in the latter, "In a Silent Way" with it's sometimes minimalist approach may work better. Regardless though, albums rarely get better than "Bitches' Brew", and it is something everyone should have.

5.0 out of 5 stars a masterpiece

L.B.S. · January 21, 2012

I first was introduced to jazz by my best friend back around the time this album came out. I think the first album I heard was Live Evil and then heard this one shortly thereafter. (he also got me interested in Mahler but that is another subject)This album was one of the first in the new jazz genre known as fusion. I wasn't familiar with jazz at all so I had no context as to what I was listening to but I liked it. A lot.After listening to this a lot in the 70s I didn't listen to music much for many years and then listened to classical for quite a while.But in the last couple years I returned to jazz and began building up a cd collection. I didn't get this one or Live Evil for a long time because I had listened to them so much in the past. After having been away from jazz for so long I was like a kid in a candy store with all this great music in the last several decades and now available in a digital format that you can load on your computer and listen to on the go. For people who are not very familiar with jazz I would recommend in the more mainstream venue: McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Michael Brecker, Steps Ahead, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Miles Davis, Joey DeFrancesco. As to fusion jazz I would recommend: John McLaughlin, Steps Ahead, Weather Report, Miles Davis. For big band I would recommend: Gil Evans, Maria Schneider. (I used to have some Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton in the vinyl era that I liked but haven't delved back into those yet)OK, anyway, now that I have gotten familiar with a lot of jazz, both mainstream and fusion, where does Bitches Brew fit in?In my opinion it is one of the masterpieces in the fusion genre. In terms of composition, the music has the sophistication of the best jazz works for a large group (the best practitioner of which in my view is Gil Evans). It occurred to me, hey maybe Gil Evans was involved in this album. (he was the arranger on some previous Miles Davis works and Evans has done a lot of fusion.) But no, judging from the liner notes it appears he wasn't involved. Anyway, the composition in these songs is very sophisticated and beautiful.Davis' use of of multiple pianos, often playing very different melodies but ones that interact in an intriguing way, contributes greatly to this incredible orchestration. There are beautiful melodies from the pianos (Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea and Larry Young), and the reed instruments (Wayne Shorter and Bennie Maupin). There is also fine fusion guitar from my favorite jazz guitarist, John McLaughlin.The work of some of the players on this album is I believe the best of their careers, or at least equal to anything else they did.For those who love jazz including the electric fusion version of which this album was one of the pioneering works, this is one of the absolutely essential recordings to have in your collection.

よき

M. · May 29, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } このレコードをかけて、ぼーっとするのが好きです。

chef d'oeuvre absolu

r.w. · January 23, 2021

en 70 il y a une sacrée concurrence... Sur la ligne de départ on a les Who, les Stones, les Beatles, CSN&Y, Deep Purple, Ten Years After et j'en passe... Et au dessus du panier il y a deux génies : Hendrix et Davis. Bitches Brew est sont "électric Ladyland", son oeuvre majeure, et - évidemment - pas facile d'accès mais quand on y accède !!!! Un album qu'on écoute toute sa vie. Inépuisable et intemporel donc.

Miles takes my Psych-Jazz cherry

M.O. · December 25, 2012

Such is the nature of this mind-blowing free-form album that I won't be doing a track by track synopsis by numbers, it just wouldn't tie in with the themes going on here. What IS going on here? If I knew that then Bitches Brew wouldn't be the intriguing voyage into the unknown it was then, and most definitely is now, 40 odd years down the line. Four songs, double album (originally)...Eh, how's that possible? Most casual music "lovers" would most likely run a country mile, or back to the oh so tried and tested verse/chorus/verse/chorus/middle/chorus blah-blah-blah you get my drift. I know several people who claim to love music, yet refuse to give instumentals a go, "How can you relate to a song if there's no lyrics?". Fair point, but wrong in my opinion.This music has no boundaries, it's not shackled and straight-jacketed like "normal" music. Two full drum-kits get fairly hefty workouts in two opposing channels. Violent guitar slashes and frantic keyboard noodlings are all paying homage to Miles' out-there horn, the freakiest of horn blowers, the Jimi Hendriks of his domain. The musicians are just going for it balls to the wall. Clearly audible instructions getting dished out from the maestro himself to help with the more spontaneous, improvised moments. As I mentioned earlier, nit-picking at the tracks individually just won't cut the mustard here, it's all or nothing with this one. Whack it on and let it take you for the ride. It's a bumpy one no doubt, but one well worth enduring. First time I played it I was impressed, second time I was blown away. The best way to enjoy it is listen to it sparingly, it wouldn't be the type of thing you'd listen to EVERY day as it would start to lose some of it's charm. This album is also surprisingly versatile in it's enjoyment factor, insofar as you could be a purist and try pick out who's playing what, how they're playing it etc. Another avenue is background music, you could have this screaming in the background while you do the hoovering, and it'd work just as well (I know, Miles and hoovering, how cool am I?).If you're of the open-minded type that likes to push your musical brain as much as possible into the unknown, please give this a go. I never even heard music like this until I took a stab in the dark. Also if you've already got it and want to upgrade to the Legacy Edition i'd say 100% get it as the extra stuff here is nothing short of gargantuan. If downing 8 pints down your local, sticking The Swedish House Mafia on the jukebox and throwing your arm around your mate's as far as you wanna go, avoid like the plague....but you've no idea what you're missing.

Nuestro querido Miles. INSUPERABLE.

G.5. · October 10, 2023

Miles Davis, una obra de arte .Jazz en su básica matemática sonora hasta lo sublime de la acústica. Un trabajo musical entre mundos y dimensiones.....Bravoooo 👌

legendäres, etwas sperriges Album

S.E. · May 16, 2025

Das Album ist legendär. Nicht jedermanns (und -fraus) Sache, geht es runter wie Öl, wenn man sich einmal an die sperrige Art gewöhnt hat. Eignet sich prima, um seinen Freundeskreis in zwei Hälften zu teilen. Die einen mögen es oder (er)tragen es zumindest mit Fassung, die anderen verlassen schreiend den Raum.