Needle Time

  The Miles Davis Quintet - Steamin' With The Miles Davis Quintet [APRJ 7200 USA 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally eventually released on Prestige Records (7200) in 1961. I'm currently reading the Miles Davis autobiography and am at the stage in his career where he is about to switch between Prestige Records and Columbia Records. As part of his exit package, he agreed with Bob Weinstock to produce a final series of albums; Cookin' , Relaxin' , Workin' and Steamin' with his then quintet of John Coltrane on sax, 'Philly' Joe Jones on drums, Red Garland on piano and Paul Chambers on bass. As usual the series was wonderfully recorded & produced by Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, NJ during May & October 1956. In the book, it was fascinating to read how Davis's relationship with John Coltrane was diminishing a great pace. Davis was reformed heroin addict, however the younger Coltrane had fallen fowl to addiction and his performance (especially...

  Michel Legrand Featuring Miles Davis -  Legrand Jazz [IMP 6028 USA 2017 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Columbia Records in 1958. French composer, arranger and pianist Michel Legrand assembled thirty-one American jazz greats over three recording sessions in late June 1958 for his own big band arrangements of eleven jazz standards. The list of the assembled talent is impressive, and likely the greatest ever for one project; Miles Davis (a headline act who appears on three tracks), John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Teo Macero, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, Bill Webster, Art Farmer & Donald Byrd are amongst those who play their parts. This release originated from a two-track all-analogue mix down from the original studio session work prints and cut by Chris Bellman on Bernie Grundman's all-tube lathe. A1 The Jitterbug Waltz A2 Nuages A3 Night In Tunisia A4 Blue And Sentimental A5 Stompin' At The Savoy A6 Django B1 Wild Man Blues B2 Rosetta B3 'Roun...

  Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight [MFSL 1-373 USA 2013 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Columbia Records in 1957. The Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab reissues of the Mile Davis catelogue on Columbia Records are considered to be some of the very best versions of the man's work. 'Round About Midnight marked his debut for Columbia after years with Prestige Records, with a little Blue Note period in between. MOFi are now open about their sourcing for this serious and this album was cut from a DSD64 transfer from the original master tape. The tape clearly reveals its age on playback, and MOFi have left all those little glitches in place. What is more important about this historic recording, is that it also features a young John Coltrane making his debut as part of The Miles Davis Quintet. A1 'Round Midnight A2 Ah-Leu-Cha A3 All Of You B1 Bye Bye Blackbird B2 Tadd's Delight B3 Dear Old Stockholm

  Miles Davis - Tutu [925 490-1 UK 1986 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] After the complex & 'difficult' fusion albums, Decoy and You're Under Arrest , Miles Davis released his most accessible eighties album Tutu to some acclaim . Written & arranged mostly by George Duke and Marcus Miller, Tutu was allegedly planned in parts as a collaboration with Prince ...the purple-funk of  Full Nelson is a clue, however the Minneapolis One was otherwise engaged.  Tutu is a very funky record using a lot of synths and keyboards (courtesy of George Duke), Marcus Miller's fretless-funk bass wizardry fits well with Davis' muted trumpet. The glossy eighties production is very much of its time, so this record may not fit well with hardcore jazz aficionados.  The electrofunky  Splatch has always been a particular favourite of mine, the track also features highly regarded keyboardist Adam Holzman making his debut as part of the Davis ensemble. In 1984, Davis recorded a credi...

  Miles Davis - Jack Johnson (Original Soundtrack Recording) [MFSL 1-440 USA 2015 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Columbia Records in 1971, ripped here from a Mobile Fidelity 'Original Master Recording' pressed from a DSD64 transfer of the original analogue master tape and cut using an analogue console to the lathe. Firstly I know it is only a Wednesday, but this isn't strictly a jazz album, plus of course it gives me the opportunity to post something else in the usual Sunday jazz slot.  Written for the soundtrack to a documentary about the life of boxer Jack Johnson, this album was recorded in 1970 with John McLaughlin on guitar, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Michael Henderson on bass guitar, Steve Grossman on sax and Billy Cobham on drums.  This is very much a rock album, recorded by jazz musicians. Both tracks run over twenty-five minutes; the boogie-groove of Right Off is easily the standout composition, just wait until you hear that guitar, in...

  Miles Davis - Miles In The Sky [MFSL 2-437 USA 2X45 2015 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] I share the common belief that the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab cuts from the Miles Davis Columbia Records catelogue are by far the best sounding, I only have a few comparisons and exclude Kind Of Blue as that is a different mix - I will cover those at some point in the future. The fact that we now know know there is a DSD256 step in the chain appears to be of no relevance to the perception of these albums by the serious listener. I own a few of these records and Miles In The Sky is the latest ripped for Needle Time. Miles In The Sky was recorded over two sessions in January and May 1968, then first released on Columbia Records in July 1968. The album was his fifth & final album recorded with his second quintet of Davis on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, Tony Williams on drums, Herbie Hancock on keyboards and Wayne Shorter on saxophone. Teo Macero took care of production duties and George Benson added...

  Miles Davis - Milestones [MFSL 1-374 USA 2013 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Columbia Records in 1958. From the years between 'Round About Midnight and A Kind Of Blue , Milestones tends to be overlooked as one of the great Miles Davis albums. It should never, especially as it features the iconic title track, all performed by the classic line-up of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones and Red Garland. Aside from the title track, you really need to hear Billy Boy .  Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab treated us to this superb mono pressing about ten years back cut from the original master tape via a DSD-digital step, but please don't let that put you off, you will unlikely hear a better pressing of this album. Please never be tempted by the cheap nasty grey market European pressings on Jazz Images, Dol Records, Jazz Wax Records or Ermitage - they all came from highly dubious sources - this is the one to have. A1 Dr. Jek...

  Miles Davis - Star People [VMP-C066 USA 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Many a purist will suggest his eighties comeback period is best alone, I only had a Japanese pressing of The Man With The Horn until Vinyl Me Please offered this double 33rpm edition of Star People recently. I have discovered this is certainly an era worth exploring, and have subsequently invested in a couple of other new pressings of albums from this period. This VMP Classics edition was mastered all analogue by Ryan K. Smith (likely from a master tape copy) at Sterling Sound and it sounds bloody amazing. This is not subtle background music, this is full-on, dense and complex - the mastering brings out every detail of every instrument. No more so than John Scofield's intricate guitar work and Marcus Miller's funky slap bass - the Miles Davis trumpet is shrill and spices the gaps between the supporting solos. Davis was also playing keyboards during this period and his dexterity is even more obvious during t...

  Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain [MFSL 1-375 USA 2013 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] You are no doubt thinking ....but it is not Sunday? But then again, is Sketches Of Spain really jazz?  Gil Evans' widescreen orchestration of horns with harps, bass, percussion and castanets is punctuated by the solo trumpet of the master, Miles. This is likely no other 'jazz' album like this - I've owned a few copies over the years, this is very much the best sounding version you will likely hear - and it is cut from digital!  Many will quite rightly now be questioning the need for the forthcoming one-step release which is almost certainly cut from the same DSD transfer of the original master recording. I will just leave this here for now.... A1 Concierto De Aranjuez A2 Will O' The Wisp B1 The Pan Piper B2 Saeta B3 Solea

  Miles Davis - E.S.P. [IMP6018 USA 2014 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Imagine Ron Carter on bass and Herbie Hancock's piano in the far left corner of the room, Tony Williams is busy on the far right laying down a syncopation, Miles Davis' shrill and muffled trumpet and Wayne Shorter on tenor sax are right in front of you. Miles Davis' transient work E.S.P. has been critiqued for its perceived unusual recording quality, perhaps maybe those who critique this album expect hard bop jazz in a more straightforward format with balanced performances across the sound stage, however that is not what this album is about - the distant bass, piano and drums remain distant and constant throughout, normality is only restored when the brass attacks from the centre ground.  You need to hear the percussion heavy Agitation and the album's brandy & cigar moment, Mood to understand more of what this record is really about. Originally recorded over three days in January 1965 by Irving Townse...

  Miles Davis - Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud [SR13/1 FRA 2021 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally recorded at Le Poste Parisien Studio in Paris on December 4th & 5th 1957 and released on Fontana Records, in Europe only during 1958 as the soundtrack to the Louis Malle French-noir movie,  Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud . Nearly all subsequent represses of this ten inch album were from fake stereo digital transfers, however Paris label Sam Records succeeded in sourcing the original mono master tapes and released this pure all analogue repress (or facsimile as they like to call it) in two limited runs of 1000 pressings. This rip should have appeared yesterday, but as I am quite busy will real world work, I hope the jazz fans among Needle Time followers won't mind some Monday jazz. A1 Générique A2 L'Assassinat De Carala A3 Sur L'Autoroute A4 Julien Dans L'Ascenseur A5 Florence Sur Les Champs-Élysées B1 Dîner Au Motel B2 Évasion De Julien B3 Visite Du Vigile...

  Miles Davis - In A Silent Way [19075950651 EU 2019 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] I usually deal in jazz on a Sunday, but other factors will not allow this for a few more weeks, so here's some Miles on a Saturday. Originally released on CBS/Columbia Records in 1969, In A Silent Way marked the trumpeter's move into the realms of fusion, upsetting many in the jazz world, however at the same time, gaining huge appreciation from a considerably wider audience.  This is a remarkable album, which led the way in the genre where all others just followed. The line-up of musical talent is both eye and ear catching. Davis on trumpet, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar and Wayne Shorter on saxophone. The Dave Holland and Tony Williams rhythm section drive the whole album along.  Sony Music do not reveal their lineage for this 2019 50th anniversary reissue, although it was mastered by Daniel Krieger at SST and pressed by MPO in France. It is now ...

  Miles Davis - Live-Evil [19439900841 USA 2021 24-Bit FLAC] So what is it with all these huge 176.4kHz rips?  I know that I certainly never held the desire or the hearing ability to fully appreciate music at this resolution, however it seems that a few of you feel the need, so where possible I will continue my little experiment with them. I always rip at this resolution and usually down-sample to 88.2kHz, all it takes is a little more time and I can package some files up in the higher quality. Therefore, if you have a spare 3.5gb of file space, then this one for all those who love things to the max. Live-Evil was originally released on Columbia Records in 1971, a mixture of compositions recorded live on stage at at The Cellar Door, Washington, DC  in December 1970 and in Columbia Studio B, New York, NY in May the same year. With a really impressive line-up of musical talent, the live mix feels as if you are actually sitting in the middle of the performance ons...

  Miles Davis - The Man With The Horn [25AP 2095 JPN 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Cue the double entendres. After six years in recluse, and to the delight of Columbia Records, Miles Davis returned to the studio with Bill Evans, Marcus Miller, Al Foster, Robert Irving III, Randy Hall & Barry Finnerty for the first of his five modern funk/jazz/rock albums. Whereas Tutu , You're Under Arrest and Decoy would acquire some longevity, Star People and The Man With The Horn are often overlooked. Here is my rip of my immaculate Japanese pressing of his come back album. Although I am no expert in the field, I have always thought that perhaps the was Mile's catch-up album as so many others in the field had already developed jazz into the modern fusion. Needless to say, expect musicianship of the highest calibre from all involved. A1 Fat Time A2 Back Seat Betty A3 Shout B1 Aida B2 The Man With The Horn B3 Ursula