Mondo Jazz

10 DVD PER MILES A MONTREUX

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a 10-DVD, 20-hour collection titled The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux DVD Collection 1973-1991 on October 24. The suggested retail price is $149.98. Only 5,000 units will be produced.

Recorded in DTS Surround and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, the release comes complete with a 48-page booklet featuring a foreword by Montreux Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs.

The program starts in 1973 when Miles debuts at the festival playing organ and trumpet. Complete with bonus interviews of Nobs, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc-Ponty, Al Di Meola and other world-class musicians, disc #1 runs over two hours.

It would be 11 years before Miles would grace the Montreux stage again. In 1984, with a seven-piece band (featuring Bob Berg on sax and keyboards, Darryl Jones on bass, John Scofield on guitar and Al Foster on drums), Miles performs 11 pieces stretching out over an hour and a half. The following year, the same lineup would perform the same set albeit in different arrangements.

The two-hour 13-piece 1985 set includes material from the A Tribute to Jack Johnson and Star People albums, including Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.” In ’86, Robben Ford replaces Scofield on guitar. Keyboardist George Duke and saxophonist David Sanborn are special guests.

In 1988, Miles returns with saxophonist Kenny Garrett (who can also be heard on the 1990 set) to explore In A Silent Way” for the first time in years. In 1989, Chaka Khan adds vocals to “Human Nature” in a 13-piece 113-minute set that features Rick Margitza on sax, Kei Akagi and Adam Holzman on keyboards, Foley on lead bass, Benny Rietveld on bass, Ricky Wellman on drums and Munyungo Jackson on percussion.

The final appearance, July 8, 1991, a little under three months before his death, in a compact 60 minutes, features Quincy Jones conducting the Gil Evans Orchestra and George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band with Wallace Roney on trumpet and flugelhorn.

Jeff Tamarkin, da Jazztimes.com