MusicWeb International

Webmaster: Len Mullenger

[ Jazz index ] [Nostalgia index]  [ Classical MusicWeb ] [ Gerard Hoffnung ]

BUY NOW AmazonUK   AmazonUS

DVD REVIEW   MILES DAVIS Live at Montreux 1991 Eagle Rock Entertainment EREDV969

1. Boplicity
2. Maids of Cadiz
3. The Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues for Pablo
7. Orgone
8. Gone, gone, gone
9. Summertime
10. Here comes de Honey Man
11. The Pan Piper
12. Solea

Miles Davis (trumpet), Kenny Garrett (alto sax) Wallace Roney (trumpet, flugelhorn)

The Gil Evans Orchestra & The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, conducted by Quincy Jones

rec. live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 1991 [133 mins]* (concert approx. 60 mins.)

*extra features include interviews with: Claude Nobs, Monty Alexander, Helen Merrill, Betty carter, Charlie Haden, Gil Goldstein, Stanley Clarke, Jen Luc ponty, Al Di Meola and Michel Petrucciani.

 

Formerly only available as part of a 10 DVD box set entitled The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux Eagle Rock Entertainment has done the jazz world in general, as well as all Miles Davis fans, a great service in finally releasing this single DVD of Miles’ last ever appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival that took place only few months before his death. The extra material comprises a set of interviews including some fascinating memories of Miles that revealed other sides of his personality. It therefore stands as much as a tribute to his memory as to that of Gil Evans. Gil, whose arrangements Miles first brought to prominence on the record Sketches of Spain and who became a great friend of Miles, died in 1988 and it was Quincy Jones and Montreux Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs who managed to persuade Miles to set aside his famously rigid “never look back” philosophy to take part in this tribute to Evans. Surprisingly in a career going back to the 1940s Miles had never before played with Quincy Jones so this document is unique in several respects. After an introduction from both Claude Nobs and Quincy Jones the three soloists are brought to the stage, first Kenny Garrett on alto sax looking predictably ‘cool’ with round cap and loose fitting African style collarless jacket and trousers while soberly suited Wallace Roney came on to play trumpet and flugelhorn both contrasted still further when, to tumultuous applause Miles appears in a fabulous ‘coat of many colours’, loose black trousers with white spots, complete with red trumpet. Exchanging his dark glasses for thick half moon spectacles the concert began. The music is wonderful as expected though Miles is noticeably weak (he died within three months of the concert) and had to be helped out in the trickier sections by Wallace Roney who had already stood in for Miles at rehearsals and who often looked uncomfortable standing next to his idol and playing his instrument though Miles was at pains to make him feel at ease fanning him with his towel and patting him on the shoulder. However, it was marvellous to see how much Miles was obviously enjoying himself and he gave as much of his all as possible. The concert presents some great examples of Gil Evans’ incredible talent for composing (he was composer or co-composer of 7 of the 12 tracks) and genius for arranging. The concert ended with two songs from Sketches of Spain , The Pan Piper and a great 12 minute version of Solea with its brilliant solid drum accompaniment creating a real whiff of Spain while Miles and Roney duet. Then as at the start he left the stage to more ecstatic applause and it was all over.

This DVD is a document that Miles Davis fans will cherish and is a poignant reminder of a great artist at his last ever public appearance.

Steve Arloff

Error processing SSI file

Return to Index