Miles Davis: Bootleg Series Vol 6

[Stunsworth]

Released today and available to buy or stream (link).

Recorded on an early 60s European tour in Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm.

I already had the Paris concert on CD - there’s more recorded than appears on this set. Interesting to hear the French audience boo Coltrane’s solo on Walkin’.

Only heard the Paris recording so far, but it’s pretty good sounding mono.

 

[Stunsworth]

Even worse booing and whistling in Bye Bye Blackbird.

 

[lordsummit]

Shall have a listen later

 

[Tony L]

There is a Miles Davis item I do not have?! I must immediately restore balance in the world...

 

[Stunsworth]

There is a Miles Davis item I do not have?! I must immediately restore balance in the world...

Only released today - though as I mentioned the Paris tracks were previously released as part of two double CDs. I bought those 4 CDs years ago in Paris.

I listened to the entire set earlier today. All in mono, but that’s ok.

If you buy from Amazon you get the Auto RIP version too - though I streamed from Qobuz.

 

[Moko]

My vinyl copy finally turned up today of the Copenhagen date....ordered on 1st Jan.

The vinyl is very clean and sounds perfect....would be great if they’d done a double LP with more from the tour on it rather than this single date on one lp

 

[robs]

Excellent!

But I must be losing it....Vol 5 completely passed me by... :-(

A little catching up to do. Intrigued by crowd boo-ing...

 

[Graham H]

Mine is arriving tomorrow, but streamed today as background listening via CD Tidal.

Impressed with the sound so far. Clean and full. Coltrane far more adventurous than on studio sessions. Look forward to closer listening. Essential for fans of Miles and Coltrane.

 

[lordsummit]

It does sound good, and really interesting to hear them together live. Need to spend some time with it.

 

[Tony L]

Excellent!

But I must be losing it....Vol 5 completely passed me by... :-(

A little catching up to do. Intrigued by crowd boo-ing...

I was aware of Bootleg Series Vol 5 and didn’t buy it as, as far as I can tell, it doesn’t add any real tracks to the Quintet 65-68 box, which I’ve got, aside from some false starts, studio chatter etc. I relented and ordered it to complete the set so both boxes arrive tomorrow. Whilst many have criticised V5 as being a bit of a barrel-scrape/rip-off, other folk have implied it does give a good impression of how they worked and how the material developed in the studio. As such I’ll approach it as a ‘fly on the wall documentary’ more than anything else.

PS I really hope they manage to dig up more live stuff from the ‘70s electric period, I’d love more from the On The Corner, Get Up With It, Agharta, Pangea period.

 

[Stunsworth]

Intrigued by crowd boo-ing...

Rather that play variations Coltrane goes all Coltrane on them. As I mentioned above Bye Bye Blackbird has the strongest reaction.

There’s a short interview with Coltrane at the end of the CDs.

 

[Tony L]

Got my Miles Davis delivery today. I’m starting with Vol 5 as, well, it’s one less. I’m just 10 minutes or so into the first disc and it is great! Fascinating to hear how this stuff was put together and the sound quality is amazing, the best I’ve heard stuff from these sessions sound, I guess due to just threading up the tapes rather than ‘remastering’. Three CDs of starts, stops and chatter may get a tad wearing, but it is well worth having nonetheless.

 

[Stunsworth]

Got my Miles Davis delivery today. I’m starting with Vol 5 as, well, it’s one less. I’m just 10 minutes or so into the first disc and it is great! Fascinating to hear how this stuff was put together and the sound quality is amazing, the best I’ve heard stuff from these sessions sound, I guess due to just threading up the tapes rather than ‘remastering’. Three CDs of starts, stops and chatter may get a tad wearing, but it is well worth having nonetheless.

I’ve got it on my ‘to listen to’ list on Qobuz. I had a quick listen to the first 10 minutes yesterday. Fascinating stuff.

 

[Seanm]

Got my Miles Davis delivery today. I’m starting with Vol 5 as, well, it’s one less. I’m just 10 minutes or so into the first disc and it is great! Fascinating to hear how this stuff was put together and the sound quality is amazing, the best I’ve heard stuff from these sessions sound, I guess due to just threading up the tapes rather than ‘remastering’. Three CDs of starts, stops and chatter may get a tad wearing, but it is well worth having nonetheless.

I balked at that when it came out but I guess I’ll have to get it.

 

[Tony L]

I realise I’m a geek, plus I’m coming at it from the perspective of having spent a fair amount of time in recording studios, but I love it - I’ve played two of the three discs now. The way things come together from little more than a scratchy idea to the classics we love is amazing, plus some of the dialogue is very funny. Miles is remarkably good at swearing! Its up there with the best of the Bootleg Series IMO as it gives an amazing insight into the process.

 

[Stunsworth]

I realise I’m a geek, plus I’m coming at it from the perspective of having spent a fair amount of time in recording studios, but I love it - I’ve played two of the three discs now. The way things come together from little more than a scratchy idea to the classics we love is amazing, plus some of the dialogue is very funny. Miles is remarkably good at swearing! Its up there with the best of the Bootleg Series IMO as it gives an amazing insight into the process.

I admit this is one of the ones I didn't buy - I wasn't sure of the content, and it's on Qobuz anyway. I'll definitely have to give it a listen. I'm guessing there's also a lot of Miles whistling to stop the band.

 

[Graham H]

Back to Volume 6. I was about to say it’s Coltrane’s gig when someone made me aware of this fair insight:

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-...tter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2018-03-23

Close listening I’m only two discs in, but it’s great stuff. 1960 to 1964 is probably my least favourite Miles period, at least until Tony Williams arrives to reignite the fire that had died after Coltrane’s departure. So What on disc two alone is worth the entrance fee of the CD set.

 

[RickyC6]

Agreed re Tony Williams. It’s clear on the Seven Steps To Heaven album - the difference between the tracks him and Herbie H are on and the ones they are not...

 

[RickyC6]

...and then add Wayne Shorter on Miles In Berlin! Sorry, thread diversion.

 

[Tony L]

Just venturing into Vol 6 now and disc one (as far as I’ve got) is very good indeed. The sound is much better than I was expecting and it is very interesting to see them stretching out the KOB etc material. Coltrane in particular venturing somewhere new. I guess this was the period exactly between his Atlantic sessions and his signing to Impulse, and it sounds it too. Fascinating stuff.

PS 1960-64 obviously contains the album Someday My Prince Will Come, which may well be my favourite acoustic Miles album, so I’m certainly not writing that period off! Seven Steps To Heaven is a good album too, as is the Blackhawk live stuff.