Filles de Kilimanjaro

Filles de Kilimanjaro

ASIN: B00000273J

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese reissue of the late jazz great's 1969 album originally released on Columbia. Remastered & packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. 2000 release. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Filles de Kilimanjaro,Miles Davis,Sony,Fusion,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Post-Bop

Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track)
Average customer rating:

The Beginning of the End (of Jazz as we knew it)

How to understand the incomprehensible

leaving the old road for the new one

My favourite by Miles

one of a kind

Filles De Kilimanjaro (Deluxe Edition) (Bonus Track)
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006GO9K
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Tracks:

Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
Tout de Suite
Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
Filles de Kilmanjaro
Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)
Tout De Suite (Alternate Take)

Customer Reviews:

The Beginning of the End (of Jazz as we knew it).......2007-05-11

As I've said elsewhere, I started off collecting Miles' electric material and believed I would have little interest in Miles' legacy work... WRONG! Once I'd snapped up everything I could find from the 68 - 75 era, I picked this up (along with Nefertiti, Miles Smiles, ESP, Miles in the Sky and Waterbabies). Man, I love all those releases but this one is very special. The band toys with rock rhythms on Miles in the Sky and that is actually where Herbie first played the Rhodes for a release. But this release finds the band a little more immersed in the rock sound. The listener can really hear how Miles' sound changed. Part of that change may be that Davis wrote almost all of the lead sheets rather than Shorter (who was this quintet's principal composer)

Tony Williams is a monster of a player on this disc - Frelon Brun drums is like nothing I've heard before or since. The rhythm section is split between the Williams/Carter/Hancock "staff" and the Williams/Corea/Holland "staff". All the players are incredible. You can really tell the difference between the two line-ups. I really dig the doubled bass line on Frelon Brun.

Look, I could write and write and write about this release but you'll find all you need to know elsewhere on the Web. If you read the autobiography and any of the biographies, you are going to discover this release figures very prominently. Buy it! Now! You will also want to pick up Water Babies which is made up of more material that was recorded during this time frame (but remained unreleased until the mid 70's.

Miles Miles Miles! ya gotta have it all but if you can't afford them all then this is the ONE CD you want to own by this particular quintet.

How to understand the incomprehensible.......2006-09-08

The music of Miles Davis from 1969 on is one of the most controversial and misunderstood bodies of work in American music. People who hadn't been paying attention (cough, Stanley Crouch) were suddenly smacked in the face by the almost demonic "Bitches Brew" album. But there are two links in the Miles Davis lineage which lead up to that album and allow the listener to approach it from a place of knowledge. Think of "Bitches Brew" as something close to what the title states: a hot bath. It's hard to just get in when it's full and steaming hot, but if you get in when it's warm and let it heat up, you have time to get used to it (of course you might die if it gets TOO hot but with Miles there's no such thing). This album is the first link in the chain, with "In a Silent Way" as the second.

The overall sound of this album (to continue with the metaphor) is oddly warm and inviting if your ears are at least a little adventurous. Herbie Hancock (on three tracks) and Chick Corea (on the other two) play electric piano and Ron Carter (the same three tracks as Herbie) plays electric bass, while Dave Holland (with Chick) plays acoustic bass, but not in the traditional walking sense. Wayne Shorter on tenor and Tony Williams on drums complete the group. Much in this music is made of simple but interesting vamps which lend themselves to sometimes lyrical, sometimes intense (sometimes both) solos from Miles, Wayne, and whoever is playing electric piano. The general dynamic level is on the softer side and there is a mysterious feeling, almost of foreboding (that may just be history talking though). This is by no means easy-listening but it is very very subtle and attention is required to pick up a lot of what's going on, especially in the way Williams interacts with the soloists. My favorite tune on here is "Madamoiselle Mabry," one of two tributes to Miles' then-girlfriend Betty Mabry, whom he later married (only to lose her to Jimi Hendrix). For the first few minutes, there is just the rhythm section playing a stop-and-go series of chords, Tony Williams not really playing strict time but doing a lot of mallet work on the tom toms. Eventually Miles comes in and his lengthy solo unfolds beautifully, all the while keeping the air of mystery. Williams finally turns up the volume behind Shorter and plays spurts of time but is always creative. Corea solos mostly with variations on the chords he has been playing, and Miles returns to end the tune quietly. It all clocks in at about 16 minutes and it's an incredibly peaceful yet evocative performance.

In terms of accessibility, this album is actually easier to approach than some of the ones immediately before it, like "Miles Smiles," "Nefertiti," or "Miles in the Sky." This album is the first fully electric album but does not really borrow from rock that much for the rhythms like the subsequent albums would. I recommend this to open-minded Miles fans or jazz fans who want to crack "Bitches Brew" (listen to it as a more intense extension of this and "In a Silent Way") but also want to enjoy a great album in its own right. If you like this, you'll also like "In a Silent Way." Buy both and realize what fascinating, adventurous, yet relaxing music it can be.

leaving the old road for the new one.......2006-03-11

Although I have never been a great fan of Miles Davis,since the beginning of my approach to Jazz music I've always come across many of the musicians who have played,and learnt from him. I am not a musician myself,I'm a consumer, and from my experience as such I can only take note of the influence he's had,one way or the other,in both the Jazz and rock arenas. From Weather Report's "Black Market", way back to "'Round about midnight" Miles pupils,Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane to name just two,are an example of the directions he's given to his music.
This album gives many indications of the imminent Davis' change of route to electrification. Personally I haven't followed Miles through his rock evolution(or involution in my opinion),but the music in this CD has helped me understand the existance of a number of electric groups(fusion) of the seventies,the music of a number of exellent musicians, from Tony Williams to Ron Carter, from Herbie Hancock to Dave Holland (and that's only a few),that have made up their own groups,keep on playing great music,and all come from the same marvellous root: Davis' innovative music. I have rated this CD 'only' four stars because I believe there must be a difference between the very top and the very good: Filles de Kilimanjaro is a very good album.

My favourite by Miles.......2006-01-13

Filles de Kil possesses the same cheerful, soft, funky vibe that can be found on Miles in the Sky and In a Silent Way. To me this album is the best of the three of them, and the best way to transition from acoustic to electric jazz.

The first tune "Frelon Brun" (Brown Hornet) is a jaunty, happy-go-lucky boogaloo with Chick Corea playing an electric piano. He was highly annoyed at Miles during this session, as the piano was apparently a cheap one that had no dynamic range. At all. This makes it sound rather like an electric organ; like any talented musician Corea works around the limitations, using the keyboard as a pounding rhythmic instrument. The result is my favourite track on the disc, a jolly romp that is over in just five minutes.

"Tout de Suite" (All Together) is a much, much longer piece, with Herbie Hancock on electric piano - a better piano, this time, with dynamic range - in a long noodly track that presages groove-based jazz like you get in the 1970s. The atmosphere is slow and moody.

"Petits Machins" (Small Stuff) is another jaunty piece. Miles' playing is full of joy. The melody is based on a countermelody that he sometimes played on the standard "Walkin'".

"Filles de Kilimanjaro" (Girls of Kilimanjaro) is a pun on the Picasso painting "Filles D'Avignon", the joke being that Kilimanjaro is a mountain in Africa, and has nothing to do with France. The tune is again filled with joy.

"Mademoiselle Mabry" (Miss Mabry) is named after Miles Davis' then-current wife, Betty Mabry. The tune is slow and romantic. Perhaps Mabry was a more complicated personality than her persona suggested. The tune begins with odd, confusing fragments of melody, played by Chick Corea and the rhythm section in little snippets. The pieces seem utterly confusing and strange - but then Miles Davis enters on his horn, and "joins the dots". He reveals the true nature of the tune, covering all the little fragments with a melody of immense beauty.

This is my favourite Miles Davis album, and a marvel of improvised music.

one of a kind.......2005-10-08

I find this a unique recording in the history of jazz.

On the one hand, Davis continues his tradition of creating albums that are a complete work (Kind of Blue, Porgy and Bess, Nefertiti, etc), rather than a just a collection of performances.

The music here is not only transitional, maybe it reflects some of the political and social chaos of the late sixties as well.

Miles continues the trend of pieces which are peformed with a focus on group performance, rather than individual performance. Not that the soloing isn't as terrific as you would expect from the musician's involved. While many of Miles recordings display this focus on the group chemistry, this became even more pronounced on records like ESP, Miles Smiles, Nefertiti, and Sorcerer.

Filles De Kilimanjaro shows a concerted shift away from the usual walking time and AABA employed in typical jazz recordings. After this recording, Davis became more interested creating "groove oriented" arrangements, with a more predictable underpinning.

One personell note: I've always thought it was Corea/Holland on Pettit Machins, and Hancock/Carter on Frelon Braun, although the liner notes show otherwise.

Regardless, I love this record!

Average customer rating:

(3.5 stars) Transitional and slightly meandering, but unfairly overlooked
Multi-layered textures
FILLES DE KILIMANJARO: new directions
Miles Davis moves into a different territory
Miles' Genius

Filles de Kilimanjaro
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000273J
Release Date: 1990-04-20

Tracks:

Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
Tout De Suite
Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
Filles De Kilimanjaro (Girls Of Kilimanjaro)
Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

Album Description

Japanese reissue of the late jazz great's 1969 album originally released on Columbia. Remastered & packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. 2000 release.

Album Details

Japanese version featuring DSD remastering.

Customer Reviews:

(3.5 stars) Transitional and slightly meandering, but unfairly overlooked.......2007-07-09

You don't see anybody jumping out of their seat to defend this one, and it is very much a transitional album: he's moving towards fusion (heavy use of electric piano and bass guitar), but isn't quite there yet: there's not a single guitar solo on the album, and funk rhythms are rarely heard (they are used in "Mademoiselle Marby", though). The sound of the record is also caught in the middle: that is, rock and occasional funk rhythms, but blues chord changes and standard jazz instrumentation. This is a good album, however, though the ten-minute plus pieces ("Mademoiselle Marby"; "Tout de Suite"; title song) do wander a bit (especially "Mademoiselle Marby" - I was ready for it to end five minutes before it actually did). As usual though, Tony Williams' drumming is sterling, and the electric keyboards are always used tastefully ("Petits Machins (Little Stuff)"). The intensity is generally kept low, other than on "Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)" - a killer opening track. This marked the last appearance of the Shorter/Hancock/Carter/Williams group: they appear on all but the first and last song, where Carter is replaced by Dave Holland and Hancock, by Chick Corea. I think the sound and mood presented on the three longer pieces would later blossom on In a Silent Way, though it doesn't sound bad at all found here.

Multi-layered textures.......2007-03-02

To understand the music of Miles Davis you have to listen to the different periods; this disc is a transitional LP that offers insights into "Bitches Brew", "In a Silent Way" and his fusion period. Traces of the old cool period Miles are here as well. The title track,"Files de Kilimanjaro" is a perfect example of the old Miles transforming into the new, more electric but ever eclectic Miles. Always surrounding himself with the best musicians he could find, this disc features Wayne Shorter on sax ,for the old school jazz sound, juxtaposed by Herbie Hancock on piano and electric piano and complimented by veteran, stalwart, Ron Carter on bass and driven by young, Tony Williams on drums. Chick Corea replaces Hancock on electric piano on several tracks while Dave Holland replaces Carter on bass for an unusual lineup change. The lingering electric piano runs by Hancock on "Files de Kilimanjaro" play counterpoint to Davis's Bitchesbrewesque solos resulting in challenging sounds that were than unheard of. Miles always seemed to surprise, pushing the envelope, as on this disc, to uncharted areas and new heights. It is evident that he challenges his musicians as well because they seem to be playing outside themselves as well at times. When the personnel changes, as on "Mademoiselle Mabry," the music seems to go back to the old cool Miles period, occasioanlly venturing into new territories but staying within the parameters of cool jazz. There is a certain density to this disc that defies logic because of the transitional nature of the music;sometimes cutting edge sometimes old school. Wayne Shorter lends to the classic jazz, old school sound to certain tracks, like on the aforementioned, playing Coltraneish runs on the tenor sax, reminiscent of the days when John Coltrane was a sideman for Miles. By contrast, on "Frelon Brun" the electric piano of Herbie Hancock opens up for Miles Bitchesbrewesque solos but again, old school runs on the sax by Shorter that sound like Coltrane. Miles leads his group of musicians like migratory birds, only settling for a short period into a defineable groove before moving on. Some of the loveliest sounds coming out of this disc are when Shorter and Miles blow in unison; unfortunately it is not often enough. This is a complex CD but easy enough to listen to if you are a Miles Davis fan. Recommended for jazz aficionados old and new.

FILLES DE KILIMANJARO: new directions.......2005-09-25

for people who have a spark of curiosity about the legendary music of Miles Davis, knowing where to begin the search can be a frustrating issue. with a back catalogue as vast as a small continent, figuring out where to start and where to go can be tricky. especially considering the many phases of Miles' long and adventerous career. he spawned many folowers and imitators and made many enemies along the way. a larger than life figure who would dominate the jazz scene for decades and whose music still holds power and brilliance even to this day. Personally, i have been such a big John Coltrane fan for so many years, that i somehow blindly overlooked Miles Davis' recorded output for a long time. it's just been in the past 4 years or so that i have gotten the opportunity to dig into Miles' absolutely stunning and quite frankly, overwhelming music. whereas Coltrane was the master of melody, Miles is the master of the mood. a true genius whose musical impact and influence is felt even stronger today than it was when he was alive.

it's really hard to know what to write about Filles de Kilimanjaro. it's a work of art that's almost too good to be true. the pieces on here show Miles in a transitional mode. the playing is getting more abstract and the song ideas are presented in a stark skeletal form, allowing the players to manouver freely around the wonderous rhythm laid out by drummer extraordinaire Tony Williams. this guy's work behind the kit plays an important role in the shape of the music of this particular lineup for Miles' group. it almost seems like the songs are written entirely around the drums. it makes for an amazing listen. all these tunes have a tender and sentimental touch which evokes emotion, but the arrangements are so unique and avant garde that it could have been beamed down from the house jazz band on saturn! well, it's not Sun Ra or anything (heehee); but these songs conjur up familiar feelings as well as an open-eyed wonder as if receiving transmissions from a distant star. the results are quite mesmerizing and even hypnotic at times.

this lineup of Miles Davis' group displayed a rare gift and a unique creative talent. they made a slew of amazing recordings, but this is certainly the one i would recommend to start with if you are interested in learning more about his music from this point in his long and varied musical career.

Miles Davis moves into a different territory.......2001-12-03

By 1968, Miles Davis completely drained out everything that could have been drained out from his days in the field of acoustic jazz. By now, Davis was the most progressive force in the world of jazz and it was inevitable that something new was about to happen. Rock music was in the center of the world attention, and it was also the new source of inspiration for Miles Davis himself.

His fascination with electrified instruments was enough to give birth to "Filles De Kilimanjaro". It just had to happen, marking the beginning of what would later be know as 'electric - jazz', or 'jazz - rock' if you prefer (perfectly balanced on 'In a Silent Way' and 'Bitches Brew' sessions, both from 1969, plus Weather Report's albums). It has five moody, ambient - like atmosphere pieces of brilliant music, this is something I listen to regularly. One of his most underrated albums to date. And what a shame that is! A true gem in my collection.

Miles' Genius.......2001-05-24

The true genius of Miles Davis was the incredible sway he held over other musicians to play at a sustained high level. This cd is another example of his power to extract the very best from his sidemen, and particularly from his drummer, Tony Williams. The final cut, Madamoiselle Mabry, is a lasting tribute to Williams'(and Davis's) genius. I had never heard a drummer lay down a melodic line until I listened to this cut. This is music that will be listened to at the end of the 21st Century, on into the 22nd and beyond. You can take that to the bank!

Average customer rating:

Filles de Kilimanjaro
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000A3H6Y0
Release Date: 2006-05-22

Tracks:

Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
Tout de Suite
Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

Album Description

Limited edition Japanese pressing of the 1968 album includes 1 bonus track TBA and comes packaged in a Digipak. Sony. 2005.

Average customer rating:

(3.5 stars) Transitional and slightly meandering, but unfairly overlooked
Multi-layered textures
FILLES DE KILIMANJARO: new directions
Miles Davis moves into a different territory
Miles' Genius

Filles de Kilimanjaro
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

In a Silent Way
Sketches of Spain

ASIN: B00004VVU6
Release Date: 1969-01-01

Tracks:

Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
Tout de Suite
Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

Album Description

Japanese reissue of the late jazz great's 1969 album originally released on Columbia. Remastered & packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. 2000 release.

Album Details

Japanese version featuring DSD remastering.

Customer Reviews:

(3.5 stars) Transitional and slightly meandering, but unfairly overlooked.......2007-07-09

Multi-layered textures.......2007-03-02

FILLES DE KILIMANJARO: new directions.......2005-09-25

Miles Davis moves into a different territory.......2001-12-03

Miles' Genius.......2001-05-24

Average customer rating:

Filles de Kilimanjaro
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005TOK1
Release Date: 1969-01-01

Tracks:

Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
Tout de Suite
Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

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