Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Directions
2. Yesternow
3. What I Say
4. Improvisation #1
5. Inamorata

Disc 2:

1. What I Say
2. Honky Tonk
3. It's About That Time
4. Improvisation #2
5. Inamorata
6. Sanctuary

Disc 3:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say

Disc 4:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say
4. Sanctuary
5. Improvisation #3
6. Inamorata

Disc 5:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say

Disc 6:

1. Directions
2. Improvisation #4
3. Inamorata
4. Sanctuary
5. It's About That Time

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19984 in Music
• Released on: 2005-12-20
• Number of discs: 6
• Formats: Box set, Live, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com
These mythical, Washington, DC December dates, released for the first in this impressive six-CD compilation, are an extension of Miles Davis's fusion LP, Live-Evil. Davis’s piercing, electronically altered trumpet tones fire up of his young Turks; keyboardist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Michael Henderson , percussionist Airto Moreira, saxophonist Gary Bartz, and guitarist John McLaughlin. Davis's acoustic fans hated the adventurous and extended, jazz-rock excursions of selections like "Directions," "What I Say," and "It's About That Time," but there was no denying the complex interplay and improvisations, especially with Jarrett's rare Fender Rhodes electric piano and organ solos. Bartz's snaky, alto and soprano sax lines are equally astounding in this context, as is McLaughlin's "Hendrixsation" of the jazz guitar tradition. Davis bragged that he could "put together the greatest rock n' roll band you ever heard." He came pretty close to doing just that. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews

amazing music
Livevil is one of my favorate albums of all time. These, of course,are the unedited tapes that record was culled from, and they are as glorious as the 1971 album.

The basic idea is that the band streches out over long, repetative, circular grooves, somethimes for almost an hour. The bass player-who I think was a Motown session guy- plays heavy, repetative lines, and plays them hard. The rest of the band spreads out across this.

But what I said is accademic and doesn't begin to describe how powerful this music is. Miles preens around like a lion stalking pray, blowing stinging lines out of his Wha-Wha trumpet. The rest of the band add their solos, or push the person soloing.

A listener can tell that the band was reacting to one another, totally spontainiously. A keybord can interject a potant little run during a sax solo, or vice vica. A number can be funky one minute, and in complete free-noise ecctacy the next. They are master musicains making it up as they go along. This is all highly amplified, and highly electric. It makes Bitches Brew seem tame and watery by compairson. Masterful improvised music.

The box set is as long as it is expensive, but well worth the price. You litterally get over six hours of the best improvisers in jazz playing at the top of their game

Just superb...
Astonishing, life affirming, energetic music of the highest order. From the first few notes, it grabs you.

Not planned as one of the great 8
Not part of the planned 8 box sets covering Miles' tenure at Columbia (that took from 1997-2007 to complete)....but a crucial box nonetheless. Hours upon hours of sessions from 1970 that showcase Miles exploring the genre of jazz fusion. Remember , in 1970 fusion was still in it's infancy , and Miles was one of the pioneers of it. You won't be disappointed if you add this box to your collection !