That's Right

Torben Kragsbjerg

• Publisher: Books on Demand
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9788743007517
• eBook ISBN: 9788743099444
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music

If you want a closer look into what happened with Miles Davis' music in the 1980's, this is the book for you.10 years ago I planned an updated Danish version of my dissertation "That's Right" from 1991. The project stranded because of financial shortcomings. Things have changed, and this book is a result of that.The dissertation looks at the music Miles Davis recorded in the 1980's. The historic context is described. Miles Davis as an improviser is described and analysed. Focus is on "Blues", "Spanish modes", "Pop" and "Modern composition". The esthetic guidelines he used are stated.When you go to page one you are back in time in the year of 1991. A few more recent comments and explanations have been included.

The analysis

Each analysis provides an overview of the recording, showing the most considerable events. Theme presentations are indicated in the overview by theme, meaning that theme A is the theme relating to form part A. The analysis starts by examining the basis for the improvisation. Included is the applied rhythm, illustrated by the ground rhythm used in drums and percussion and any related ostinatos. The form arrangements applied in the recording are illustrated by the overall sections, including e.g. the intro, theme presentations, solos and coda. The form parts relating to the themes of the recordings are analysed, and the improvisation is analysed in terms of form. The harmonic content is illustrated by any modes, vamps and extended chord progressions. The melodies are illustrated by the themes related to the form parts. Since improvisation is often made based on the theme, it is attempted to describe the characterstic features of the theme. Then, follows the analysis of the improvisation. Only Davis’ solo playing will be discussed. However, where it engages in a dialogue, both parts are considered.

The analysis of the improvised solos applies the concept of an ‘oplæg’, defined as an idea which decisively form the development of the solo.

An oplæg may thus be very few tones played in variation, a motif, a rhythmical idea, etc. To make an analogy with an oral oplæg (oral presentation), these oplæg may be prepared and thus form part of Davis’ improvisational “vocabulary”.

During the solos, it is often seen that “one word leads to another” in continuation of an oplæg. In a number of cases, the oplæg has ties to the theme. The possible climax or relative static state of the solos is described.

Blues

The album Star People (‘83) introduces blues to the repertoire that Miles Davis chose to record after his comeback. The album includes basic blues in the title track and a blues-variant in It Gets Better. With these recordings, Davis returns to some of his roots. On the cover there is a comment on this: “The blues was always around when I was in St. Louis” … “I played it because I heard blues played by the bands that came up from Oklahoma and Missouri and Kansas.” A new light is attempted to be shed on these roots. It is particularly the exploration of the extremely slow tempi and the increasing use of keyboards that has opened up new opportunities. Star People, That’s Right and Violet are all slow blues, but in each their own way. The formal dispositions applied by the two recordings are completely different and the chord progressions are also different. That’s Right from the album Decoy (‘84) applies an open form and can in short be described as blues reduced to its essence. Violet from the album Aura (recorded in ‘85 and released in ‘89) is a “blues – and yet something much larger than blues. In the same way as blue is only a constituent of violet.”²³ Despite some differences Violet also has a number of similarities with That’s Right. Tutu from the album of the same name (‘86) is another blues variant. It stands out from the others in terms of formal disposition and since its ground rhythm includes a slow, half tempo and a relatively low-key fast tempo. With Violet and Tutu, the chapters on pop and modern composition are touched upon, which shows how widely blues is applied. Violet is the last part of the Aura suite and is thus characterised by modern composition. Tutu is an album with a very consistent and distinctive sound. The actual pop hit of the album, Perfect Way, is thus not the only track with pop features. With the revival of blues, Davis found a way to a wider audience since the expression of this music struck a direct chord with a broader segment of listeners. People listening to soul, r&b, rock, gospel and country are all familiar with the blues. It has a strong appeal to many people of all kinds. Davis formulates this appeal in an ethnic context, and by doing so he emphasizes the origin of this music: “Black people in particular react to it every time. I remember one night in Dayton a while back, some woman was having a conversation with my trumpet.”²⁴

Star People (18‘44)

Recorded in August-November 1982; however, Intro and Prelude was probably recorded separately in December 1982 or February 1983.

Composed by Miles Davis

Miles Davis: Synthesizer and trumpet with Harmon mute

Mino Cinelu: percussion

Bill Evans: tenor saxophone

Al Foster: drums

Marcus Miller: bass

Mike Stern: guitar

John Scofield: guitar

Overview of the recording:

Intro	Trumpet solo	Guitar solo	Trumpet solo	Tenor sax solo
(0’35)	(6x12)	(2x12)	(2x12)	(12)

Trumpet solo	Interlude	Guitar solo	Trumpet solo
(2x12)	(0’40)	(3x12, +4)	(8)

The numbers in parentheses indicate durations: (0’35) means 35 seconds, (6x12) means six times 12 bars.

Miles Davis Falkoner Centret 1985 | G. Valentin

Rhythm

Intr...

Table of contents

• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• Miles Davis in absentia
• Delimitation of material
• The analysis
• Perspectivisation
• Bibliography
• Discography
• Being a resonant Being
• A special thanks to …
• Appendix
• Copyright