Song of the Week | Miles Davis - Nefertiti

[Mad_Dog]

Artist: Miles Davis
Album: Nefertiti
Song: Nefertiti

I know absolutely dick-all about jazz, despite thinking Miles Davis is a musical god, so here is what's in the liner notes:

In the best of all worlds, a composition and it's realized performance can have an organic relationship: a balance between the written and the improvised, a shared melodic and rythmic sensibility. Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti", as a composition itself, is purely typical; 16 measures (AB) with the intervals of a fourth and a fifth given precedence. But the performance recorded is in itself the composition.

After finishing another tune, the Quintet began their usual method of rehearsing the melody. The master tape from this part of the session begins with about 2 minutes of "Nefertiti" caught mid performance. As the melody dissipates and stops, there is laughter among the musicians. In rehearsing only the melody, they had discovered the performance. But to the bands dismay, only the last 2 minutes of the 'rehearsal' had been recorded. The issued version of "Nefertiti" was the second take (after 2 false starts).

But the issued version is a true classic, a drum concerto as composition. Every part of Nefertiti, the horn lines, the bass notes, piano voicings and most of all the drums, has inspired manyu of todays jazz artists. It exemplifies the use of the form as "ostinato", of the melody as the improvisational vehicle, and of how the drum set fits into melodic interpetation, echoing horn lines as an element of exposition. This dramatic, unorthodox performance demonstrates just how great this group was.

i don't understand that either. here's what a friend of mine, taking jazz at university (he plays piano) told me at a keg party while we were both done in:

Basically, they would record a song, do some lines of coke, record another song, repeat. That's why it's so crazy... They didn't want it to be released, but the record company took the tapes and did it anyway. And jazz players have been trying to understand it ever since. I can't incorporate any of it into my playing, cause I just don't know what it is.

now, for my interpetation: instead of the drums and bass providing the basis for improvisation by the horns and piano, like they normally do, the horns and piano and bass provide a framework for the drums to work off of and improvise with. backwards.... anyway, it's cool sh<i></i>it, you have to listen to it about 5 or 6 times at least.. give it a try.

download here

[Zundfolge]

without a doubt your absolute best pick for SOW

[Sebu_NZ]

I'n not a great fan of Miles Davis,

I know I know, you call yourself a jazz fan and you don't like Miles Davis with a passion !

This is however a great example of his stuff that I do like.

My personal favourite jazz musician would have to be Oscar Peterson, now theres a legand and a half!

Good choice man, I have to say congrats on not just sticking to your main style of music. Your best SOW IMO

[Mad_Dog]

this is the only stuff i've listened to that is pre-bitches brew... i love all the stuff after bitches brew. takes me a lot of time to listen to any jazz though, not my favourite genre, but usually it's time well spent...

[Mad_Dog]

BUMP-bump-BumpITY-Bump!!!