new worlds | 01.05.2003

it's two in the morning and i should really be asleep. instead i'm still pouring over the lavish sleevenotes that accompany my latest obsession; the complete in a silent way sessions by miles davis, which i finally the other day after eyeing it longingly in record shops for the past year. i haven't digested all of it yet, but what i have listened to thus far is excellent. the set is arranged in such a way to illustrate the way miles and his band arrived at the brand new sound on show on in a silent way, beginning with rough early sessions and ending with teo macero's incredible final mix. his band deserve as much credit for arriving at this revolutionary mix of jazz, rock and soul as miles himself; many of the real leaps are in tony williams' drumming, chuck corea and herbie hancock's dueling electric pianos, john mclaughlin's electric guitar; with their playing behind him, davis couldn't really go wrong. and he doesn't.

the only problem with music like this it's a little dispiriting; is it even worth me continuing to make my own music when i know i won't ever come close to producing anything anywhere near as good as this? it's the same feeling i get when i listen to talk talk, or bjork, or the velvets...

regardless, i soldier on.

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