A Tribute to Jack Johnson

Artist: Miles Davis
Label: Sony
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 074644703627
EAN: 0074644703627
ASIN: B0000027GU

Release Date: 1992-02-25

Related Categories:

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Jazz Funk

| Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Ten Favorite CD's
Instrumental Albums
Prog,Punk,Jazz,Metal,Experimental Music
Roberto's Favorite Jazz Expressionists
Miles and Miles
A Personal Collection
My Top Jazz CDs, Part II
My Favorite Miles Albums, '58-'75
Incredible Music-No particular order
My favorite bass players, and their best albums

Tracks:

Right Off
Yesternow

Similar Items:

Milestones
Filles de Kilimanjaro
On the Corner
In a Silent Way
Nefertiti

Customer Reviews:

Davis And Other Greats..Excellent Stuff... But...Newer CD Is Out.......2006-06-26

This review refers to "A Tribute To Jack Johnson"/Miles Davis

Originally released in 1971, this album really cooks.The two tracks on this album, were written by Miles Davis, and are from a documentary of boxer Jack Johnson's bio. The sound is incredible.First of all, you will really feel the emotions of the fighter in the ring. Davis' trumpeting, although a rock-jazz style, is definitive of his immense talent. Extraordinary solos that will have you immersed in every note. And what's more check out some of the talent he brings with him. Herbie Hancock on Organ(yes..on Organ), John McLaughlin on Guitar(soooo good), Steve Grossman on Soprano Sax, Billy Cobham on Drums and Michael Henderson on Electric Bass. Whoa..Whole lotta greatness there! They are all superb, and their combined talents make this album a real treat and treasure for fans.

An amazing production job,the recordings were produced over a 16 week period in 1970. The 2 tracks are "Right Off" and "Yesternow", for a total of about 53 minutes of heaven. This CD from1992 (with a red border) is an older edition.There is a much newer edition of the remastered original recording that came out in 2005. The Amazon ASIN is B00074CBFG. Just put that in the product search and it will take you straight to the product page. It costs a little more, but it is an excellent quality, with every note and sound coming through the speakers beautifully. It also includes a nice 15 page booklet with facts on Davis, the musicians, the recording sessions, and a history of jazz in brief(and also a few pix).

Recommended for Jazz fans, and Rock fans leaning towards the jazzy side. Incredible stuff! Wonderful Tribute...Enjoy.....Laurie

Pioneering 70s fusion.......2005-03-26

This is a jazz rock masterpiece - the playing, the creativity, the feel are all tops here.

The true stars here are Mclaughlin's snappy guitar work, Miles himself and the incendiary drumming of a then young Billy Cobham.

This and later on Agharta/Pangaea are the closest approximation to what might have been if Miles and Jimi Hendrix had collaborated. Out of this world.

Overrated.......2005-02-26

Don't be misled by all these 5 star reviews--- half of this album is boring.

The reason to buy Jack Johnson is for the first track, "Right Off." Miles always bragged that he could have the best rock band in the world, and "Right Off" proves it. John McLaughlin absolutely rips on the guitar here, and Miles chips in an uncharacteristically aggressive solo that is very memorable. If you like Sly and The Family Stone and James Brown, most of "Right Off" will be right up your ally. However, as with much of Miles' work from this period, he doesn't know when to let a good thing quit, and the song goes on for too long, getting pretty repetitive by the end.

The second track, "Yesternow," is repetitiveness defined. It is a slow, boring number that goes nowhere and takes about a half-hour to get there. Those who aren't looking to be put to sleep usually cut off "Jack Johnson" after the first side.

In all, this is a worthwhile album to get for the first song, the first 10 minutes of which is probably one of the greatest rock jams ever. But if you're just getting into Miles' fusion period, I'd start off with "Bitches Brew" instead.

Why Miles was cool!.......2004-08-18

Not that Miles Davis needs further affirmation, but I just transferred this soundtrack from its original LP format onto an audiocassette. And it still sounds fantastic after all these years! Neophytes, who may have been recently introduced to Davis' music through movies like THE TERMINAL and COLLATERAL, would find it worthwhile to work backwards and listen to this album. It is great, though often overshadowed by BITCHES BREW.

Its pretty good........2004-07-14

A Tribute to Jack Johnson is a good soundtrack and is comprised of two lengthy pieces of varying degrees of success.
The first piece "Right Off" starts as an entertaining jazz-rock groove. There's some great firery soloing by Miles and then the tune gets a little spacey towards the middle during the sax solo. There is little harmonic change and the groove stays the same until about 12 minutes in when a James Brown like guitar vamp starts, very cool. Things stay in this mode mode for a while until the groove from the beginning starts again. An organ solo ensues and some good soprano sax and guitar. Not bad, there's some excellent trumpet by Miles and John Mclaughlin's guitar is aggressive and well played. Good solos from the other players. Right Off is a good track, and a fun listen.

The second piece Yesternow suffers from an extremely repetitive bass line that just goes on annoyingly for minutes and minutes while other instruments noodle around leaving much space in the playing. Not much happens for a LONG time. But the piece very gradually builds momentum until "Shh Peaceful" (what the ?!?!) from in a Silent Way comes in. Wow, what a "great" way to expand a composition, insert previously recorded material from another album in the middle. Well it is a sound track album and I have to give Teo Macero props for his usually excellent tape editing and production. Then its back to more repetitious bass playing with horn and guitar accents. This remains in the same mode until at last, thank god, a groove is formed and Miles solos some. Then a really beautiful slow melodic part reminicsent of "Sketches of Spain" closes out the album. Its too bad that this section isn't longer as its a really effective and emotive bit of music. I could have done without the Brock Peters voice over, but I'm not bothered by it because of its brevity.

I think this album is pretty good. It has its moments of great playing from Miles and John McLaughlin plays generally excellent guitar. But there are long stretches of barren groove and noodly solos that never seem to really get off the ground. The bass and drum playing are unremarkable. I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed when I got this CD because I remembered "Jack" as being a much better album. Oh well memory can play tricks on you, I last heard it in the mid-eighties. I have to say though on second listen there are better electric Miles albums out there (not to mention the 30 previous years of acoustic music) This album is inferior to "Bitches Brew," "In a Silent Way," "Live Evil", "Get Up With It," or even "On the Corner" (which is basically a series of deep grooves) If you want to hear some really angry Miles Davis pick up Pangea recorded live in Japan. I'm not saying this is a bad album, or that its not worth getting, it is. But it incorporates some previously recorded material and some of the playing on Yesternow gets a bit tedious. "A Tribute to Jack Johnson" is a good film soundtrack but I'm afraid it pales in comparison to much of Miles' other electric work.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Shake It ~ MC Shy D

The Living Years ~ Mike + the Mechanics

Little Dreamer ~ Peter Green

Swing When You're Winning ~ Robbie Williams

Busk ~ Lisa Dewey & The Lotus Life

For One Day ~ Evermore

Honeydipper Stomp ~ Honeydippers

Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid ~ Collective Soul

Gang Related ~ Original Soundtrack

Hoods-To-Da-Woods ~ Hardy Boyz