Thursday, August 18, 2005

Miles Davis and Joe Zawinul.

miles silentzawinul
Miles Davis >In A Silent Way/It's About That Time (A large file.)
Joe Zawinul >In A Silent Way

The other day you were talking (and writing) about Joe Zawinul's Rise and Fall of the Third Stream. I don't think I've ever heard it, or don't remember it. My bad attitude wrongly avoided anything to do with "the third stream," and honestly, generally I avoid Zawinul. Which is funny, because some of my favorite melodies are his --Mercy Mercy Mercy, Birdland, In A Silent Way-- among others. But I never particularly loved his execution, his bands, his arrangements. They always struck me as forced, obvious, kind of corny. (Aside from my too common refrain that his personality in many interviews over the years made me wanna smack him in the face.)

And when you brought him up I instantly thought of In A Silent Way.

For years most everyone thought the 1969 Miles' version was the way Zawinul intended. Probably because anything Miles did was usually thought of as 'definitive.' Joe's take on Zawinul from 1970 has often been in my collection, but I think it was because I liked the photograph and album cover (when it was an LP and 12x12"). My memory was that I didn't care for Zawinul's own version. Well, today I listened again in anticipation of posting it.

I was wrong. Yes, it's a wonderful melody, but, it's also just a wonderful track. Every interpretation I have in my library (Joe's, Mark Isham's, and five mixes or takes by Miles) is wonderful in it's own way. Enjoy these. (A large file.)

Miles Davis >In A Silent Way/It's About That Time (A large file.)
Joe Zawinul >In A Silent Way

4 Comments:

Blogger DJ durutti said...

Hey thanks! for this post. I've never heard Zawinul's ver. (i love alot of his work, however, including '80s Weather Report & some of his Zawinul Syndicate & solo albums from the late '80s). And In a Silent Way has always been one of my favorite Miles albums. thanks again.

10:20 PM  
Blogger Fred Seibert said...

Your welcome Matt. Glad I could be of service.

10:33 PM  
Blogger Chris C. said...

Thanks for posting these tunes. I have not heard Zawinul's version before and it was a treat.Many thanks. I love the site. I'm going to add your link to my page. I will be putting up some jazz pretty soon. I've been in an Oliver Nelson mood for a while now so we'll see.

12:04 AM  
Blogger LivingstoneD said...

I've been a Miles fan since high school (graduated in '72) and became a fan of Joe when I saw that he wrote many of the tunes on "Bithces Brew" as well as "Mercy, Mercy". The first time I heard Weather Report, I flipped over them and was floored when I learned who the core of the band was (Joe and Wayne Shorter).

I found the "Zawinul" album purely by chance one day when I was perusing the jazz section at my favorite record store (remember those?). Joe is indeed a masterful composer. That album is a must have for any fan of his or of Weather Report.

8:23 AM  

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