Miles Davis: In A Silent Way-1969 CBS "360 Sound" On Red Label 1st Pressing LP

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1969 Columbia "360 Sound" Stereo on Red Label First Pressing Release of Bandleader/Master Composer/Trumpeter Miles Davis Entitled In a Silent Way: Directions in Music by Miles Davis, Produced by Teo Macero, Remixed by Ray Moore and Teo Macero, Remastered by Vlado Meller, Both Compositions Written by Miles Davis - "Listening to Miles Davis' originally released version of In a Silent Way in light of the complete sessions released by Sony in 2001 (Columbia Legacy 65362) reveals just how strategic and dramatic a studio construction it was. If one listens to Joe Zawinul's original version of "In a Silent Way," it comes across as almost a folk song with a very pronounced melody. The version Miles Davis and Teo Macero assembled from the recording session in July of 1968 is anything but. There is no melody, not even a melodic frame. There are only vamps and solos, grooves layered on top of other grooves spiraling toward space but ending in silence. But even these don't begin until almost ten minutes into the piece. It's Miles and McLaughlin, sparely breathing and wending their way through a series of seemingly disconnected phrases until the groove monster kicks in. The solos are extended, digging deep into the heart of the ethereal groove, which was dark, smoky, and ashen. McLaughlin and Hancock are particularly brilliant, but Corea's solo on the Fender Rhodes is one of his most articulate and spiraling on the instrument ever. The A-side of the album, "Shhh/Peaceful," is even more so. With Tony Williams shimmering away on the cymbals in double time, Miles comes out slippery and slowly, playing over the top of the vamp, playing ostinato and moving off into more mysterious territory a moment at a time. With Zawinul's organ in the background offering the occasional swell of darkness and dimension, Miles could continue indefinitely. But McLaughlin is hovering, easing in, moving up against the organ and the trills by Hancock and Corea; Wayne Shorter hesitantly winds in and out of the mix on his soprano, filling space until it's his turn to solo. But John McLaughlin, playing solos and fills throughout (the piece is like one long dreamy solo for the guitarist), is what gives it its open quality, like a piece of music with no borders as he turns in and through the commingling keyboards as Holland paces everything along. When the first round of solos ends, Zawinul and McLaughlin and Williams usher it back in with painterly decoration and illumination from Corea and Hancock. Miles picks up on another riff created by Corea and slips in to bring back the ostinato "theme" of the work. He plays glissando right near the very end, which is the only place where the band swells and the tune moves above a whisper before Zawinul's organ fades it into silence. This disc holds up, and perhaps is even stronger because of the issue of the complete sessions. It is, along with Jack Johnson and Bitches Brew, a signature Miles Davis session from the electric era." - Incredible Personnel for the Octet Features Legendary Composer Miles Davis on Trumpet, Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea on Electric Piano, the Great Wayne Shorter on Tenor Saxophone, Dave Holland on Bass, the Multi-Talented Josef Zawinul on Electric Piano and Organ, the Amazing Tony Williams on Drums & the Brilliant John McLaughlin on Guitar! - Solitary Selection on Side 1 Is Shhh/Peaceful at 18 Minutes 3 Seconds - Lone Track on Side 2 Is In a Silent Way/It's About that Time at 19 Minutes 57 Seconds - Used Copy, Cover Is Faded with a Medium Surface Ring & Seam very Slightly Split at Top, Record Has some Light Surface Wear and some Light Marks & Scuffs - Stereo Recording, Product Code CS 9875 - California Residents Add 9.75% Sales Tax - International S & H Extra -