May 27, 2020 Playlist

"Sketches Of Spain" by Miles Davis (1960)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Miles Davis "Sketches Of Spain"  1960 (USA)
Miles Davis is one of the greatest icons of 20th century music not just because of his greatness in the realm of jazz; his music was highly influential across all genres of music, and entire subgenres have been based on styles he created. For example, in the "red hot, as many notes as possible" era of 40's bebop his trumpet style was "cool, with as few notes as necessary" thus he stuck out and influenced his first subgenre when the "cool jazz" movement took off in the early 50's. A key piece of that story involves one of Miles' most important collaborators: Canadian-born Gil Evans, who did the arrangements for the big band / chamber music of Birth Of The Cool (recorded in 1949 and 1950). They collaborated again a decade later on a highly orchestrated version of Porgy And Bess (1959) - an "African American opera" wherein the singers were replaced by Miles' trumpet. That album did very well, but their next collaboration was their best - this week's CAOTW, inspired largely by Miles' wife Fraces Taylor Davis (his second of four I believe) who was a professional dancer and loved flamenco music. Sketches Of Spain was easily the "least jazzlike" record Miles had done at that point. My theory is that this extremely progressive combination of classical, flamenco and jazz was a key influence on prog rock beginning at the end of the sixties. To give but one example, the 16-minute titular track of Uriah Heep's second album Salisbury (1971) has riffs that are borrowed directly from Sketches' 16-minute centerpiece "Concertio de Aranjuez" (I feel like Heep even decided it should be 16 minutes to match the piece that obviously inspired them).
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Bob DylanIt's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)Bringing It All Back Home1965USA
The BandI Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)Music From Big Pink1968Canada/USA
Bob DylanTombstone BluesHighway 611965USA
The ByrdsThis Wheel's On Fire (Bob Dylan/The Band)Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde1969USA
XTCAll Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan)White Music1978UK
 
 
Horse Lords Fanfare For Effective FreedomThe Common Task (N)2020 (Northern Spy)USA
Once & Future Band Deleted ScenesDeleted Scenes (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
Damaged Bug Sold America (Michael Yonkers)Bug On Yonkers (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
Dope Body Hermit KingHome Body (N)2020 (Drag City)USA
The Howling Hex LiesKnuckleball Express (N)2020 (Fat Possum)USA
   
 
Dempagumi.inc
(solo song by "Eitaso" = Eimi Naruse) 		Legend Of Ei
Aiga Chikyu Sukuunsa! Datte Dempagumi.Inc Wa Family Desho
(N - special edition bonus EP)
("Love Will Save The Earth! Because Dempagumi.inc Is A Family")		2020 (Meme Tokyo/Toy's Factory)Japan
Dempagumi.inc
(solo song by "Nemo" = Nagi Nemoto) 		Yume O Miru
("Watch The Dream")
Aiga Chikyu Sukuunsa! Datte Dempagumi.Inc Wa Family Desho
(N - special edition bonus EP)
2020 (Meme Tokyo/Toy's Factory)Japan
The Orb The Queen Of HeartsAbolition Of The Royal Familia (N)2020 (Cooking Vinyl)UK
Miles DavisBlack Satin (live)Tokyo 1973rec. 1973, rel. 2016USA
   
 
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Horology
   --> A Brief History Of Planet Earth (live)		Chunky Shrapnel (N)2020 (Flightless/ATO)Australia
Bob Dylan & The BandGoin' To AcapulcoThe Basement Tapesrec. 1967, rel. 1975USA/Canada
The BandBessie SmithThe Basement Tapesrec. late 1960's?, rel. 1975Canada/USA
George RussellSo What (Miles Davis)So Whatrec. 1983, rel. 1987USA
   
 
Miles DavisConcierto De Aranjuez (Joaquin Rodrigo)Sketches Of Spain
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1960USA
Uriah HeepSalisburySalisbury1971UK
   
 
Bob DylanDesolation Row (first take)The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrackrec. 1965, rel. 2005USA
             
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