Miles Davis ‎– A Tribute To Jack Johnson

Electrifying performance by half a dozwn of the finest and most gifted musicians to ever play any of the involved instruments - Herbie Hancock on Hammond Organ, Billy Cobham on Drums, John McLaughlin on that eectrifying Lead Guitar and The Don himself the one and only 'Mr. Cool' Miles Davis in a session as energetic as anyting ever released. i am usually not the guy to use headphones to listen to great music, since i have the possibility to play my music LOUD at home. But this music cries for a volume that you simply cannot play out in a normal residential aerea !
The whole theme cruises around a Documetary movie about the Life of a black Boxer, Miles admired. The Producer was the experienced Teo Macero and the whole recording process only took an hour . The Band was already improvising ; John McLaughlin playing a guitar riff when Miles joined in at 2:13 minutes, checked the vibe and basically explodes on one of his longest, meanest , finest and most energetic Solos ever.
This set the tone for the rest of the session. It was the era of Jazz moving away from the Clubs and Hipster circles and becoming Pppualar , the enetgy was all around and Rock was leading the movement in music. Miles was ready to join in and had already sold millions of records to both his Jazzz Fans from the beginning and to the Rock Youth. Anyway. after 25 minutes of this powerful stuff you are not tired , but eager to hear more 1 Flip the baby over and get more of the same, in a less overwhelming haste, but as innovative, swinging and rocking. By chance Herbie Hancock, who wasn't a part of the Miles Davis Quintet by that time was in the Studio building and atracted by these enormous gooves joined in for the latter 15 minuts of Side B. The start of Side B is based loosely on James Brown's "Say It Loud, I Am Black And I'm Proud", later moving over to more mellow downbeats from the former Miles Davis Record Bitches Brew. Anyway- Most people wouldn't recognize these anyway (i read that on allmusic.com) . So enuff is said. If you just respect Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock or all of them look around for a copy of this petty obscure album and i bet you might love it ...

Miles Davis's outstanding soundtrack for a documentary on the boxer Jack Johnson stands alone very well as a strong piece of music. The album consists of two long, frenetic jams (25-minute-plus versions of "Right Off" and "Yesternow") and features fine playing by a sextet comprised of Davis's trumpet, Steve Grossman's soprano sax, electronic keyboardist Herbie Hancock, guitarist John McLaughlin, electric bassist Michael Henderson and drummer Billy Cobham. Jack Johnson was a hero to Miles Davis, and this album stands as his musical hommage to the legendary boxer.