Granted enhanced production and a greater field of audible information,
Miles in the Sky can finally be perceived as belonging to the same upper echelon as Davis' ubiquitously acclaimed
Nefertiti and
Filles de Kilimanjaro – the albums that precede and follow, respectively, this watershed title. Commonly branded a "transitional" work,
Miles in the Sky showcases Davis already at ease with electric instruments and eager to venture into uncharted territories. Doubling as organized jams and bridges between jazz and rock, both the rhythmically challenging "Stuff" and frisky "Paraphernalia" glancing toward the future while keeping solid footing in the past.
Similarly, so do "Country Boy" and "Black Comedy." In his original review for jazz authority DownBeat, Larry Kart observes: "Davis takes material from his earlier days and darkens its emotional tone. His opening phrase on ‘Country Boy' recalls a fragment from his "Summertime" solo on the Porgy and Bess album, but here it is delivered with a vehemence that rejects the poignancy of the earlier performance. Even on ‘Black Comedy,' his most straightahead solo here, the orderly pattern of the past is displaced and fragmented."
Flavored with humor, bossa nova, country, and even ballroom phrases, the compositions on
Miles in the Sky explodes with creativity, purpose, and color.
Tracklist:
- Stuff
- Paraphernalia
- Black Comedy
- Country Son