Miles Davis - Bitches Brew 40th Anniversary .

The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions box was an anomaly in the excellent retrospective series, featuring no alternative versions to those released on the groundbreaking album but, as usual, covering more than just the notional period of the title as it included work from Live Evil too. Part of that was due to producer Teo Macero's different to normal working practice - he cut into the master tapes to piece the album together rather than use safety copies on this occasion only. However, here is a new box set especially put together for the 40th anniversary of that masterwork. The two box sets are identical for the first six tracks, taking up a disc and a half, which are that original album. But after that they differ. Here disc two is completed with alternate takes of Spanish Key and John McLaughlin have been found to show earlier works in progress. There are also fascinating single edits of Miles Runs The Voodoo Down and Spanish Key, both reduced to 2:49; and still more a mono single of Great Expectations and Little Blue Frog both recorded just a few months after the Bitches Brew Sessions. Great Expectations didn't appear until 1974 on Big Fun, whilst Little Blue Frog initially appeared on the Complete Bitches Brew in 1998 before being added in 2000 as a bonus track to Big Fun. Both in their full length incarnations. So here you have half a CD of exclusive stuff. There is known to be more in the vaults however, evidenced by the bootlegs "Deep Brew volumes 1 & 2", but not much.Moving on to disc 3 this is a great, clear concert from Tanglewood on August 18th, 1970. This has previously been available on a very muddy bootleg and again in "On The Crest Of The Airwaves" unofficial box set but is cleaned up beautifully for this official Sony release. Although four Bitches Brew tracks are the centrepiece of this concert it kicks off with Directions, not released in studio form until the eponymous album of 1981 and intriguingly features The Mask, recorded in the Jack Johnson sessions of April 1970 but not seeing the light of day in studio form until "The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions" of September 2003. Here there's a missing link between Parts 1 & 2, which despite being just 3:55 in length put a new piece of the jigsaw in place. It's a great concert, unique to this release officially.Disc 4 is a DVD, a 70 minute colour concert from Denmark on November 4th, 1969. Again, exclusive to this release its a mix of Miles playing parts of Bitches Brew but still looking back with Agitation from the great ESP album, even further back to "Seven Steps To Heaven" for I Fall In Love Too Easily, as well as It's About That Time from "In A Silent Way". Throughout the only electric instrument is Chick Corea's electric piano. This is a fine concert and worth the purchase at this bargain price alone.An informative booklet also adds more background to this major album, with photos of private correspondence included. All in all a fine package, worth it even if you own the complete version.

Jazz. Some love it, some hate it. I try to love it, and sometimes I do. I've always loved music, so I try to love jazz. I try to love Miles Davis, but hell he makes it difficult sometimes.I shall try to review this box set dispassionately:-"Well presented good quality sturdy book housing four discs and something to read for those with any interest".There. Got that over with. --------------------o----------------------The following is my personal reaction to the offense this 'music' can engender.Had heard this album many years ago, kind of liked but then forgot about it. On a whim, thought I'd give it a second chance. It still holds some sort of appeal but shouts "f-off" to any pre-conceptions of musicality. It's uncompromising in its insistence to disturb you. Don't listen if you are of a fragile disposition. There are extra tracks to push you over the edge.Then there is a live CD from 1970. I believe that at one point during the performance I heard two notes that actually sounded as though one should follow the other --- surely some mistake and I hope Mr Davis fined the errant muso for his laxity.Then the piece de resistance. A DVD of a live performance from Copenhagen 1969. Did you ever see a comedy sketch show from the 1990s called "The Fast Show"? They had a regular piece called "Jaaazz Club". The music was diabolical but was always described as "Grrreat" or "Niiice". Well, this is worse than anything that I heard on "Jaaazz Club".I think that Miles Davis was some kind of Devil deliberately let loose on the world by God to test mortals' appreciation of beauty and their intrinsic grasp of the purpose and structure of reality, but ho-hum, maybe it's just me.Having said all of the above, I'm glad I bought this set and I enjoyed listening to it, but it won't be at the top of my playlist.If I've offended any jazz purists with this review then so be it. Just my honest opinion.

Uploading the box reverse. Amazon version is illegible.

Great product, although the 'jazz' language style notes can be irritating to read. Nonetheless the quality of the music, recording and alternate takes make for a fabulous listening experience. I am almost tempted in making a controversial statement that this album could be better than Kind of Blue. But then I would be comparing two completely different talented musical ensembles and that would not be fair to either. One thing that is common knowledge...Betty Davis' creative influence on Miles. Without her spark Bitches Brew would not have happened. Now that is controversial!

Though having experienced jazz rock, in the form of Bruford, Earthworks, Brand X etc I hadn't experience of fusion. I had put off listening to Bitches Brew, after watching Ken Burns documentary 'Jazz', and the clip of Miles playing fusion. It did seem to be a situation of men not really playing together, and not listening to what the others were doing. However, in the case of something new & demanding, the listener has to travel to the place where the artists inhabit. On first play, I initially found that my first reaction (in my case) may have been correct. However, subsequent listening has opened my ears somewhat. There is always something new, that is noticed. So open your ears daddy-o, and dig it man.

I know not about jazz but bought this set for a friend who does. He told me that I'd been lying to him for years because you'd have to know a lot about the subject to be able to buy something like this. So kudos to me and happiness to my friend.

Excellent music and packaging. However the vinyl records are scuffed. Yet again I am disappointed by modern vinyl even from major companies. The only company I trust for quality vinyl is Mobile Fidelity Sound Systems. Also internet link doesn't work perhaps because the release was a few years ago.