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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Miles Davis's impact on jazz is almost incalculable. From his early days as a sideman for Charlie Parker, through his groundbreaking Birth of the Cool sessions, to his stunning small groups of the 1950s and 1960s, through to his electric renaissance, the trumpeter, bandleader and composer has left a deep mark on all who came after. He is one of jazz's true giants. Sketches of Spain, though one of Davis's most commercially successful sessions, is also one of his most controversial. Re-teaming with arranger and composer Gil Evans, who played such a pivotal role in Davis's 1949 Birth of the Cool recordings, Davis recorded a series of large group albums beginning in the late 1950s, including Porgy and Bess, Miles Ahead, and Quiet Nights. Sketches of Spain, with its emphasis on flamenco, rich orchestrations and relaxed tempos is certainly one of Davis's most mellow recordings (he even works out on fluegelhorn), and proved to have broad appeal. To some critics, however, the project was "elevated elevator music". -- Fred Goodman
Product Description
MILES DAVIS Sketches Of Spain (1997 Austrian pressed 8-track CD album featuring a uniquely creative collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans including the Bonus Recordings Song Of Our Country and Concierto De Aranjuez [Parts One& Two] complete with an extensive booklet containing sleevenotes and pictures CK65412)
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By F. Sweet
Format:Audio CD
The first time I heard Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo for Spanish guitar and symphonic orchestra it was performed by virtuoso Narciso Yepes. It was the most incredible music I had heard, decades ago. The world agreed because since Yepes first recorded Rodrigo's concerto four decades ago literally hundreds of different artists recorded this ethereal music. Enter Miles Davis.
Davis adapted the guitar solo to trumpet and created yet another kind of ethereal music. For his original guitar composition, Rodrigo balanced the gentle tones of the solo instrument with orchetral brass .... which often plays dissonant chords, but with soft understatement. What Davis produced is not simply transposing guitar to trumpet and the symphonic orchestral parts to a large brass section. Rather, Davis created a new sound by fusing American jazz styles with Spanish undertones. Rather than softening the brass so as not to drown out the acoustic guitar, the volume was raised in Davis' rendition and now the powerful solo trumpet carries on a dialog with an occasionally competing, and at other times counterpointal, brass section.
I imagine that when Rodrigo wrote Concierto de Aranjuez, he couldn't have imagined how far removed from his native Spain this music would travel ... reinterpreted by the American jazz world. But there it is. Had Narciso Yepes never played the concerto and the world only heard Miles Davis' rendition then the world would still have been quite happy. But now there are both kinds of music, and the lucky listener can decide to move between the two worlds of Davis and Yepes. What a triumph for modern music!
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Mr P
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Miles lays his trumpet down against Gil Evans arrangements of Rodrigo's Concierto De Aranjuez (Normally features classical guitar) and De Fallas Will O' the Wisp. The other three tunes were penned by Evans. The orchestration is exquisite and repays repeated listenings. Over this Davis solos in a restrained manner but the emotion of his playing continually shines through.
This is a very original album and sounds like nothing else.
A masterpiece.
This is a very original album and sounds like nothing else.
A masterpiece.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For me this is miles' best work. Downbeat, at times introspective, but always melodic and beautiful. I think i must have listened to Solea almost every week for the last 5 years.
This is Miles before he went all high tempo and electric. It's similar to Porgy and Bess in terms of the overall almost symphonic tonal quality, and similar to the musical excellence of Kind of Blue. Where this has the edge for me though is it's just Miles, no succession of solos. That means that miles develops complex, long, and emotionally intense performances.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smooth
Work of an artist who knows how to make get music sit back and enjoy a great sound just NICE
Published 20 days ago by Martyn Hackett
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take a Stunning Walk Through Spain....
Without Concierto de Aranjuez I would have given Sketches of Spain 4 stars but with it......Yep its 5 lovely stars. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Warren
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jazz & Spain
Loved this record. Brought together the playing and arranging of Miles Davis with my knowledge and enjoyment of Spanish music. Superb.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs Patricia Ellis
5.0 out of 5 stars
my favourite
so far this is the moodiest album by Davis. My favourite - really captures something distinct. Certainly spanish in influence and would recommend to those who have not sampled... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. J. DuBock
2.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn't stand up over time
I heard Miles Davis live three times, and have many of his albums. I just put this on after a break of a few years and couldn't work out what I liked about it before. Read more
Published 3 months ago by James Lizard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Appreciation
It is wellcome addition to my CD collection. I am an admirer of Miles Davis and he has not let me down.
Published 4 months ago by totteridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miles ahead
Not a lot to say: except to remind you this is one of the four Gill Evans records which Miles made.
They are of course an essential quartet ( Porgy & Bess: Miles Ahead: Quiet... Read more
They are of course an essential quartet ( Porgy & Bess: Miles Ahead: Quiet... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Curlyview!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miles' and Gil's Iberian Excursion
"Sketches of Spain" recorded in 1959-60 was the third project resulting from the long collaboration between Miles Davis and innovative master of orchestral arrangements Gil Evans. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2011 by The Guardian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miles' and Gil's Iberian Excursion
"Sketches of Spain" recorded in 1959-60 was the third project resulting from the long collaboration between Miles Davis and innovative master of orchestral arrangements Gil Evans. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2011 by The Guardian
5.0 out of 5 stars
miles ahead
love this album, very unique sound, and very different to Miles's
other stuff. Great atmosphere. Storytelling with sound.
Highly recommended.
other stuff. Great atmosphere. Storytelling with sound.
Highly recommended.
Published on 24 Feb 2010 by Ms. Keely Mills
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