EARLY JAZZ–ROCK THE MUSIC OF MILES DAVIS, 1967–72 JARNO KUKKONEN SIBELIUS ACADEMY JAZZ DEPARTMENT 2005 ii Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music Sibelius Academy Jazz Music Department Study Program in Performance 2005 Jarno Kukkonen Sibelius Academy P.O.Box 86 00251 Helsinki FINLAND e-mail: [email protected] iii Abstract This study examines various aspects of Miles Davis’s music, the main subject being his jazz–rock phase between years 1967–72. On the macro level, I describe the study materials: Davis’s recordings. From there I proceed to the micro level, analyzing selected pieces in greater detail. I explain Davis’s renewal of the jazz tradition through his introduction of musical elements previously considered anomalous to jazz. From among these elements, I look for those that created coherence in Davis’s early jazz–rock phase. The enclosed tables illustrate these elements and their appearance in Davis’s music chronologically. I have also attempted to define the term jazz–rock and categorize certain pieces in Davis’s repertoire. Much of Davis’s recorded music of the period was released as extended suites under generic titles without naming the separate movements that made up each entity. Besides examining the complexities involved when identifying Davis’s pieces, this study illuminates the reoccurrence of certain musical motifs throughout several works and demonstrates how Davis reshaped others’ compositions to suit his preferences, for example by omitting sections and simplifying their harmonic content. The study shows that Davis gradually developed an approach to music that favored rhythm, interaction and tone color over harmony and melody; he eventually abandoned harmony and song forms as they are traditionally understood. Davis’s way of making music was a process in which each performance created unique musical forms. As a jazz soloist he developed a strong rhythmic expressiveness that overshadowed any underlying harmonic content. Transcriptions of the music studied are included Keywords: Miles Davis, jazz styles, jazz–rock, rock–jazz, fusion, jazz composition, jazz improvisation 1 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Background................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Object of study........................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Goals of study ............................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Study materials and methods.................................................................................... 5 1.4.1 Historical narrative....................................................................................... 5 1.4.2 Transcriptions............................................................................................... 6 1.4.3 Analysis ......................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Semantic complexities of the term “jazz–rock”........................................................ 6 1.5.1 Historical context .......................................................................................... 8 2 Miles Davis, a redefiner of jazz............................................................................................. 9 2.1 “Hope it ain’t anyone I know.” ............................................................................... 10 2.2 The two periods of Miles Davis’s 1960s quintet ..................................................... 11 2.2.1 First period of the 1960s quintet..................................................................... 11 2.2.2 Second period of the 1960s quintet................................................................. 12 2.3 Early jazz–rock of Miles Davis, 1967–69 ................................................................ 12 2.4 The studio sessions, 1967–69 ................................................................................... 14 2.4.1 Sorcerer and Nefertiti ................................................................................. 15 2.4.2 “Circle in the Round” ................................................................................ 16 2.4.3 Miles in the Sky........................................................................................... 17 2.4.4 Filles de Kilimanjaro................................................................................... 17 2.4.5 “Directions”................................................................................................. 19 2.4.6 In a Silent Way............................................................................................ 20 2.4.7 Bitches Brew................................................................................................ 23 2.4.8 “Great Expectations”.................................................................................. 24 2.5 The concert band, 1967–69...................................................................................... 25 2.6 The studio sessions, 1970–72 ................................................................................... 28 2.6.1 “Lonely Fire” .............................................................................................. 28 2.6.2 A Tribute to Jack Johnson.......................................................................... 29 2.6.3 Live–Evil...................................................................................................... 30 2.6.4 On the Corner ............................................................................................. 31 2.7 The concert band, 1970–72...................................................................................... 33 3 Elements of jazz–rock in Miles Davis’s studio recordings, 1965–69 ................................. 37 3.1 Even eighths............................................................................................................. 38 3.3 Bass ostinato ............................................................................................................ 39 2 3.4 Pedal point ............................................................................................................... 39 3.5 Time-no-changes...................................................................................................... 40 3.6 Theme as interlude .................................................................................................. 40 3.7 Melodic ostinato....................................................................................................... 41 3.8 Electric guitar .......................................................................................................... 41 3.9 Postproduction editing ............................................................................................ 42 3.10 Coloristic elements................................................................................................... 44 3.11 Melody in the bass ................................................................................................... 45 3.12 Electric keyboard .................................................................................................... 45 3.13 Odd or changing meter ........................................................................................... 45 3.14 Electric Bass............................................................................................................. 46 3.15 Triadic harmony...................................................................................................... 46 3.16 Multiple keyboards.................................................................................................. 47 3.17 Percussion ................................................................................................................ 48 3.18 Indian instruments .................................................................................................. 48 4 Characteristics in Miles Davis’s pieces, 1969–70 ............................................................... 48 4.1 Song titles................................................................................................................. 49 4.1.1 “Willie Nelson”............................................................................................. 49 4.1.2 “Right Off”................................................................................................... 50 4.1.3 “Yester Now” ............................................................................................... 51 4.2 The augmented scale ............................................................................................... 52 4.3 Polytonality.............................................................................................................. 53 4.4 Rhythmic displacement ........................................................................................... 54 5 Development of a tune: Joe Zawinul’s “Directions” in Miles Davis’s performances, 1968–1971.................................................................................................................................... 55 5.1 November 1968, long intro on the second take....................................................... 56 5.2 July 1969, double–time feel ....................................................................................