Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue

Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue
2004 Eagle Rock Entertainment.
Director: Murray Lerner
Available at Amazon.

For all of the ground that Miles Davis broke during his lifetime, it still seems that when he plugged in and went electric in the late '60s, incorporating influences from Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, and James Brown (among others), was to some people, the most controversal thing he ever did. There are still jazz fans out there who probably never forgave Miles for going in the direction he did.

I disagree with them. Personally, my favorite Miles Davis records are everything he did starting with In a Silent Way up until his 1975 hiatus, simply because they're the most interesting, exciting and unpredictable music he ever made. While I love everything he did before he plugged in, and brought the Fender Rhodes piano and the guitarists onstage, his fusion era remains my favorite.

This documentary interviews many of Miles' sidemen and other musicians, notably Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Carlos Santana, and Joni Mitchell, and contains a lot of archival footage of live performances, including one from the Steve Allen Show with Miles and his second quintet (Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams). The centerpiece of the DVD is the complete 38 minute performance from the Isle of Wight Festival on August 29th, 1970. Miles received bottom billing for the festival, which meant that TINY TIM was billed higher than he was that year.

Tiptoe through the tulips, indeed.

Highly recommended.