Leaves you spellbound

Miles Davis: Sorcerer Sony Music; Rs. 100

RECENTLY RE-ISSUED, Sorcerer dates from 1967, a period when the trumpeter Miles Davis led a quintet of talented budding stars, mostly in their twenties: Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums. All five were in peak form. With nine numbers lasting over an hour long, the album gives the performers plenty of time to develop solo improvisations.

During this period, just before he went on to develop jazz-rock fusion, Miles Davis's music had elements of hard bop, as well as of the cool and modal music styles. The former, with its emphasis on fast tempo, hard-driving rhythm, and complex solos, infused the music with a feeling of excitement. Cool and modal music, pioneered by Davis, made for a calm, relaxed feeling. The relaxed feeling was enhanced by Davis's exquisite use of subtly well- timed, long notes and silences between them.

Davis, Hancock and Shorter improvise solos on most of the pieces. Hancock, a virtuoso pianist, also performs solo introductions on most of the numbers. Carter and Williams, quite prominent in support, do not take solos. Vonetta, Masqualero, and the ballad Pee Wee are leisurely pieces, while the rest of the numbers have fast tempos. The title track Sorcerer, especially, is an energetic number with a delectable ``duel'' of alternating solos between Shorter and Davis. Prince of Darkness too has plenty of power and excitement, with delightful flashes from Williams on the drums.

Fine showcase of jazz pianists

Jazz Piano, Hey Presto England! (distributed in India by Music Gallery India Pvt Ltd); Rs 425

Like Jazz Sax, reviewed in this column recently, Jazz Piano is a budget CD from a little known publisher. Lasting over an hour, it brings together mostly lesser-known numbers from well known pianists. Hence, despite the absence of details of recording dates and supporting musicians, the jazz buff can be reasonably sure most of the pieces here are not duplicates of material found on other records.

The numbers are well picked, in that most of the artistes, leading jazz pianists or pianist-bandleaders, are here represented by numbers that highlight their piano playing. Thus, both the Duke Ellington tracks, Take the `A' Train and Liza, feature him taking a bigger part than he usually did with his big band, whose leading soloists were usually saxophonists, trumpeters or trombonists, to whom he played a supporting role. Similarly, Count Basie, playing Good Time Blues, here has a long solo at the opening, supported by just bass and drums, before his big band plunges into the proceedings with its full power.

Others, such as Oscar Peterson, Earl Hines and Erroll Garner, maintain their reputation as virtuoso solo pianists or leaders of small groups. The extraordinarily gifted Art Tatum has a rendition of Body and Soul in which trumpet and clarinet just pitch in by recalling the melody between his masterful solos. Apart from a liberal sprinkling of blues numbers, there are a couple of boogie-woogies; Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson contribute Boogie-Woogie Man, a duet in this particularly rollicking rhythmic style.

JAZZEBEL

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