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On the Corner

Miles Davis - On the Corner Audio CD

A fair review of the Miles Davis "On the Corner" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Miles Davis reviews here, or go back to the Miles Davis tabs.

Band: Miles Davis
Title: On the Corner
Rating:

Release Date: 2000-08-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinking of One Thing and Doing Another 2: Black Satin 3: One and One 4: Helen Butte/Mr. Freedom X

The most aggressive album in Davis' career
Kind of Blue was such a huge innovation, he would have already been a legend, and his fans wanted more of Kind of Blue. After the release of Kind of Blue, Miles Davis was a legend. However, Miles Davis was not interested in living off of something that by now, had gone down in popularity. Miles in the Sky was where he started using electric instruments, In a Silent Way was where he first did an album mixing jazz with rock, with Bitches Brew and A Tribute to Jack Johnson, he continued moving more into that direction. As his older fans continued to be horrified, and some probably even burned their copies of Kind of Blue, he had now shown that this was where he was now. Now, it wasn't a new attempt into a new direction, this was where he was.

He did try new things with this album, and it was probably the one album that was the most disliked of all of his albums when it came out. However, On the Corner is the most aggressive album, and it has probably the nicest groove. This album is so different from the albums that he did in the fifties and during the early and mid-sixties, that you won't believe that it's by the same person who released Miles Smiles just seven years earlier. It was also pretty different from his more recent albums. This album was the final album that he actually recorded for Columbia records, and I although I can't say that he saved the best for last, I can say that he had gone through several different directions, and this was a great farewell from Columbia records.

Noisy but far from noise, funky but far from predictable, of its time but futuristic
It's an electronics extravaganza, with Miles combining his trumpet with a wah-wah pedal, Herbie Hancock's piano recorded through a ring modulator, and producer Teo Macero liberally cutting up and rearranging the recording sessions and putting a host of special effects on top. It has become a trope to say that ON THE CORNER is Miles Davis' most forward-looking album in spite of its lack of sales when it was released in 1972.

I'm sure many listeners will feel a tinge of anxiety over who exactly is responsible for the final product, as Macero evidentally worked his magic without consultation with Miles, and some of the great bandleader's musicians reportedly didn't recognize their own work when the album came out. Nonetheless, get over your authorship hangups straightaway, because the album is good listening. At this point Miles wanted his bassist Michael Henderson to hold down a strict funk groove, centering the music in a way uncharacteristic of jazz even though every other musician is heavily improvising. Then there's the addition of a sitar, tabla drums and bass clarinet to Miles' troupe, creating a far out mix of sounds. Miles' trumpet is less brash and in-your-face than on other recordings of the fusion era, and it sounds more like he's gently guiding his virtuoso bandmates to show their stuff.

Even today a lot of listeners put the record on and instantly conclude that it is noise. I think much of this is due to the track order. Starting off with the long and heavy medley "On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinking of One Thing and Doin' Anyother/Vote for Miles" just gives you an intimidating blast. I'd recommend instead skipping straight to the second track, "Black Satin", which at 5:20 is more easily digestible and immediately lays out all the technological effects that made the album something special.

Though ON THE CORNER foretells to some extent the rise of house and electronica, it is dated in some ways. Some of Macero's edits, especially those moving instruments around in the stereo space, are clumsy. And the 1969 BREW has, I think, the better musicianship. Nonetheless, ON THE CORNER is a strong effort and an album that deserves to be heard even by those contemporary audiences that consider jazz antiquated. .

absolutely great
Many times I sit there and wonder to myself if much of the jazz being played is nothing but saxophone noodling that carries on for WAY too long. I don't even KNOW if I understand jazz. Sometimes I can't quite see the appeal of the musical genre, to be honest.

But other times, while sitting alone in the dark in my living room rocking chair with the CD player blasting (like tonight) I can REALLY get caught up in the feel, the beauty, the delightfully haunting atmosphere, and sometimes loving jazz to the point where I might even find myself wanting to memorize each sequence of notes that plays (which is probably more complicated than it sounds). So I guess all this adds up to me possibly being on the verge of understanding jazz more as I get older BUT still struggling to know where I stand with jazz at the moment.

But I know one thing- Miles Davis "On the Corner" is REALLY darn good. So good in fact, that it's amazing only 80-some people have reviewed the album here on amazon so far.

I STRONGLY recommend this album to all jazz AND rock fans. I honestly think I hear some grooves on this album that remind me of those groundbreaking Jeff Beck albums he made in the mid 70's. Maybe it's a coincidence, I don't know. Rock fans would be able to appreciate this album I bet.

How can someone who doesn't have the same kind of knowledge, passion or understanding of jazz possibly convince you "On the Corner" is a masterpiece? Well I can't. I just don't know how to put into words how brilliant this album is.

I know one thing- ever since I discovered the Mahavishnu Orchestra back in the summer of 2007, my eyes have opened REAL wide to the possibilities of combining rock with jazz. Talk about a perfect winning formula. At least, when the right musicians are attempting to combine the two.

"On the Corner" is not all about jazz either- there's some really good guitar work near the beginning of the album that is *terrific* because it sounds so good. Doesn't just SOUND good I mean- the notes that are playing actually ARE really good. The same can be said for most of the music on the album.

I feel a couple of the songs linger a few minutes too long, and this might indicate I'm not yet ready to fully appreciate jazz at this moment in time, because a serious jazz fan would probably have NO complaints about the length of these pieces. Still, I can't really complain about it, because there's a good chance the musical parts that feel overlong will eventually grow on me one day anyway. Also, never underestimate sitting alone and absorbing the music as much as you possibly can, because this works too.

Another thing I want to mention is that I actually heard this album back in the summer of 2003 and, with a big head, I thought I was ready to dive into jazz. HA! I was *nowhere* near ready, so after attempting to listen to this album several times I just gave up and said to myself "Well that's it- I'm not ready for jazz yet, but at least I gave it a chance".

Well, six years later, I feel more focused and ready to explore jazz now that I've heard this fantastic album with a better understanding of Miles Davis intentions. I wasn't ABOUT to give up on exploring a musical genre that can be rewarding to me just because I had (and sometimes continue to have) trouble understanding it.

Oh, and just so you know, I have the older CD version that was released in 1990, and the sound quality is AMAZINGLY good for its age. Honestly, a lot of CDs that are ready to enter their 20th birthday pretty soon don't sound very good to me, but "On the Corner" surprisingly features really good sound quality. Maybe the guitars are slightly pushed in the back so the funky rhythm can shine in the light, but it's not really noticeable enough for me to complain about it. You can still make out the guitar and saxophone playing throughout the album.

So if you happen to be in the same boat as me (someone who doesn't know if they really like jazz or not and want to settle for buying a jazz album that's not very expensive just to be cautious) I can honestly say this older version of "On the Corner" really holds its own despite its age.

As for the music, early 70's jazz apparently ages with dignity as well. I LOVE this album and I highly recommend it.

An epileptic fit, Time Square, 1972.
The radio and all the sounds from the street mixing to create a blissful mix of joy, violence, confusion. This is a perfect audio interpretation of driving at 11 at night with your radio on a funk station , with your windows down threw the burrows of New York City, 1972. While the neon pornshop lights burn your tired, world weary eyes. Hey look to your left. . . A pimp is beating one of his hoes.

Amazing Miles!
I agree that he has certainly moved away from traditional jazz, and this album certainly ain't no "Kind Of Blue. What an amazing album! Miles combines elements of funk, punk, rock, avant-garde and of course jazz to create a unique sound (fusion) that only he could envision! Miles was such a genius that his music transcends all ages. " However, I make the same argument for the Beatles, who had progressed from writing simple pop tunes like "She Loves You" to experimental sounds like in "Tomorrow Never Knows" from Revolver and then Sgt. Pepper and the White Album. If you're also looking for "Bags' Groove" sound, this ain't it either--Miles had long turned that corner. Instead he had begun to dabble with new sounds in "Bitches Brew" and then moved on full force with "On The Corner. " .

You can see a complete list of all Miles Davis discography, or go back to the Miles Davis tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.