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Crop Of '70s Miles Davis Albums Reissued Amid Week's New Releases

Newly discovered Chico Hamilton recording with Eric Dolphy also in stores.
By archive-Sonicnetcoms-Ben-Schnayerson
July 29, 2000 / 12:02 AM

Reissues from trumpet-wielding jazz legends Miles Davis and Chet Baker — plus a newly discovered, never-released recording from drummer Chico Hamilton — top the week's new releases.

This Time the Dream's on Me: Quartet Live, Vol. 1 (Blue Note) is a reissue of two early live recordings of Baker's band, consisting of pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Carson Smith and drummers Larry Bunker and Bob Neel. Originally put out on the now-defunct Pacific Jazz label, the CD features Baker's group performing in 1953 in Los Angeles and in '54 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Blue Note's reissue of Hamilton's 1958 The Original Ellington Suite contains the first recordings of saxophonist Eric Dolphy's solos. Hamilton released a record in 1959 without Dolphy titled Ellington Suite that covered Ellington songs as well but featured Paul Horn on reeds instead of Dolphy. However, in 1995, a jazz fan in England found this earlier 1958 Pacific Jazz recording of Hamilton and his quintet, and it is finally being released. Besides Hamilton and Dolphy, the quintet includes guitarist John Pisano, cellist Nate Gershman and bassist Hal Gaylor.

Columbia Legacy re-releases three Miles Davis albums this week that show the jazz innovator's early '70s work. On the Corner (1972) (RealAudio excerpt of title track) was one of Davis' most influential '70s albums, a hardcore funk-jazz effort that basically opened the door for all the acid jazz and jazz funk to follow. The re-released Big Fun is a double-disc set of Davis recordings between 1969–1972. The set includes performances from three 11-piece bands and a quintet as well as four tracks that were included on the recent Grammy-winning box set The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions.

Get Up With It was the last studio album Davis released before his late '70s hiatus from performing and recording. The reissued double-disc set has new liner notes from saxophonist Dave Liebman, who was in some of Davis' bands in the '70s.

Pianist Arturo O'Farrill, son of Cuban bandleader Chico O'Farrill, is one of the few artists to release a new album this week. A Night in Tunisia (32 Jazz) is the pianist's sophomore CD and features bassist George Mraz, drummer Steve Berrios and the Fort Apache Band.

Other New Releases This Week:

  • Willie Colón Idolo (Sony Discos)

    • Reissues:

  • Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington The Master Takes/The Making of the Great Summit (Blue Note).

  • Arnett Cobb: Cobb and His Mob in Concert, Featuring Dinah Washington (High Note)

  • Highway Jazzmen Jazzy Christmas in Dixie (Delta)

  • Nat King Cole Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays (Blue Note)

  • The Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds of Fire (Columbia Legacy)

  • Jaco Pastorius Jaco Pastorius (Columbia Legacy)

  • Jay Patten Impressions of Christmas (Delta)

  • Charlie Ventura Live at the Three Deuces, 1947 (High Note)

    • Compilations:

  • Sheila Jordan From the Heart (32 Jazz)

  • Morgana King Tender Moments (32 Jazz)

  • Various artists Drivin' Blues (32 Jazz)

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