PLAYLIST: MILES DAVIS & THE QUIET BEGINNINGS OF ELECTRIC JAZZ
Six years ago my late friend John Pike gave me Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way, a dark, two-track record that preceded Bitches Brew by six months. That album stuck with me and led to years of listening to the early recordings of electric jazz and the small family among which the sound evolved, including John McLaughlin, Herbie Handcock, Chick Corea, Tony Williams and Billy Cobham, who would define the landscape of the genere for decades. As photo editor at The FADER I don’t claim expertise on the cutting edge of contemporary music like my colleagues, though I do follow and enjoy their picks. That said, when I put on my headphones in the office for a few hours in Photoshop editing a drill rap feature story, I’m probably listening to Miles.
- Miles Davis, “In A Silent Way”
- Mahavishnu Orchestra, “Miles Beyond”
- Weather Report, “Waterfall”
- Billy Cobham, “Heather”
- Miles Davis, “Black Satin”
- The Brecker Brothers, “Levitate”
- Pharoah Sanders, “Astra Traveling”
- Tony Williams, “Vashkar”
- Herbie Hancock, “Rain Dance”
- Miles Davis, “Little Church”
- John McLaughlin, “Right Off”
