Search - Miles Davis, Gil Evans :: Complete Columbia Studio Recordings

The Miles Davis and Gil Evans Box Set - Great Remasters And

Mark | East Coast | 09/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Miles Davis and Gil Evans: Complete Columbia Studio Recordings box set is a treasure trove for those who must have every recording. Less serious fans may want to start with less expensive issues of the individual albums.



Miles Davis has many box sets devoted to him, and this one is by far the most unique. After purchasing several of the Miles Davis box sets that have been re-released by Columbia, I have to say that I am very pleased. Eventually I will get them all, but my love of Gil Evans in addition to Miles is what made me pull the trigger on this set.



For starters, what comes through this set even with a casual listen is the incredible influence that Gil had on the arrangements and approach taken during their greatest collaborations. On many of the tracks, the horn arrangements and solos are pushed center stage, with Gil's play only providing a subtle backdrop. That's typical Gil, though I do wonder what the outcome might have been if he had allowed himself to step forward more in those early years.



Still, the tracks manage to be both incredibly traditional and daring at the same time, and this especially true of the alternate takes. Once you hear the alternate takes, rehearsal tracks, and overdubs it's clear that the sound has to be in large part to Gil's credit. In fact, the only way to describe the sound on some of these tracks is *large*. The encyclopedic inclusion of various alternate takes and rehearsal takes provides tremendous insight and could easily be used by students of this music and history who want to get inside the minds of these recording artists and compare against the final product.



That's another reason why this reissue is so worth getting. While I have no complaints about the original recordings, several of the tracks are so greatly improved by the remastering to almost make the listening experience completely new for me. I am slowly being converted to the remastering camp. If all the reissued box sets sound this good, I may start to purchase multiple copies of each of them. :)



I was somewhat confused by the *placement* of many of the tracks, especially the way certain retakes are split between different disks. At times they correspond to the original albums and at other times they don't. I don't know why Mr. Schaap chose to do it this way, but I am pretty certain there were very good reasons. It does make you wonder, but it doesn't change the fact that these are very listenable disks.



Now because this is a set of the complete studio recordings, there are some tracks here that I am not particularly crazy about. Among them are "Blue Xmas" and "Nothing Like You." Those tracks made me glad that not every song on here has alternate and rehearsal takes included.



The box is certainly attractive, though understated. It is certainly more durable and functional than other recent boxes I have purchased.



As with all Miles Davis sessions under Columbia, these recordings showcase fantastic musicians. Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess are clearly the most highly regarded albums that resulted from Gil's work with Miles, but Sketches of Spain will probably always be my personal favorite of the group. I am also a fond of Quiet Nights, which has probably been over-criticized IMHO. Yet the extra takes means that even if you own those albums you still have a very good reason to purchase this set.



If you haven't yet purchased this set, take this opportunity to add it to your collection.



Enjoy!

"

The first of 8 deluxe boxes

Jim Z | 12/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Shame you can barely find this is in the metal encased box as it was originally released. Glad I snatched it up when it came out in 1997. This is the first RELEASED Columbia boxes that took from 1997 until 2007 to complete. Chronologically , it would be the 2nd box. Fabulous sound on this reissue. The people who put this entire series together did so with extreme care and meticulous detail.The music ? C'mon , it's MILES...put it in your shopping cart !"

Too Complete - Many Rehearsal Takes and Re-takes

D. Guthridge | Chicago | 10/06/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Somewhat difficult to get into the groove of listening, because the set is more of an academic study of the recording sessions with these two giants of the jazz world.



I will edit the set to separate the listenable from the historic; some charts stop in the middle in order to begin another take.



This set also includes several takes of the same chart, as well as different solo break overdubs.



If you're looking for a set to immediately have for an evening's playlist, you'll need to spend some time picking and choosing. You may prefer to purchase their studio CDs individually. However, it's well worth the journey.



At the end of the day, it's Miles Davis during a very introspective yet lyrical point of his journey, and for me, while I could still understand what he was trying to achieve."