Phil Freeman

Music books are tough to rate as they don’t quite reach the same heights as literature or great non-fiction works of philosophy or history. And yet I can’t imagine a more engaging work on Miles Davis’s electric years. Short on biographical information and other “endless data and facts’ this book concentrates on what was happening in the music between 69 and 75 mostly and then the 80’s to lesser extent. I think the success of this work is the excitement and curiosity it raises in the reader about the music and the desire it instills to listen to as much of it again or for the first time as soon as possible. Describing the sound and feel of music is tough and yet it’s done extremely well here. In addition you really feel the importance of this stage of Davis’s development and a greater appreciation of its revolutionary spirit and innovative excellence. It also highlights just how important Teo Macero was to those recordings in terms of ahead of its time production magic.… (meer)