Miles Davis proto-prog

After hearing a lot of miles Davis's fusion. Especially in a silent way and Bitches Brew. The extended tracks and the sound of the albums seem to be opening the doors for prog.

Is he proto-prog???
discuss 

The only Miles Davis albums I've listened to properly are the above two, plus Live Evil, and, yes, on the strength of those records in isolation, he could easily qualify as a progressive artist.  What may count against him is that, from what I've heard of it, the bulk of his vast back catalogue prior to the mid-seventies is just plain jazz (albeit acclaimed jazz) has no noticeable connection to progressive rock.

EnglishAssassin wrote: The only Miles Davis albums I've listened to properly are the above two, plus Live Evil, and, yes, on the strength of those records in isolation, he could easily qualify as a progressive artist.  What may count against him is that, from what I've heard of it, the bulk of his vast back catalogue prior to the mid-seventies is just plain jazz (albeit acclaimed jazz) has no noticeable connection to progressive rock.

hahahha.. well you heard right.. .let me put it to you this way EA...  suppose we have an artist that came around ..say... 1969.. did some prog albums ... and disappeared like a fart in the wind.  Are they more prog than Miles Davis. 

of course they are not...  what he did before prog really doesn't matter a damn ... and ..as evidenced by many groups here.. turning away from prog doesn't disqualify anyone either. This is a prog rock site.. not allmusic...  technically what he did before...and after doesn't concern us.

I second that.  Kind of Blue is probably essential to any music collection.  I tend to think of Miles as an excellent jazz musician who dabbled in and was a major catalyst for much of great the jazz rock/fusion that came out of the late '60's and early '70's.

Edited by Slartibartfast - January 22 2008 at 20:37

Miles put out some of the most progressive jazz-fusion I have ever heard.  Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson are even more progressive than Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and all of the other PA-listed fusion-era Davis spinoffs.  No doubt that he belongs here. 

I'm no expert on J-R fusion...I'm just (word of the day here hahaha) stimulating the conversation... but as far as the concerns of this site.... wasn't that movement.. from teh prog side of it.. fairly well dead by the mid 70's anyway.  Davis wasn't the only one to move on... Mclaughin went to Shakti..  William left.. and didn't things shift more onto the jazz side and become for  the intents of this site at least..  out of bounds as far as 'prog' jazz-rock.

I figured as much David but advanced the premise more as a question. I didn't want to speak as an authority because I sure as sh*t am not on that subject 

I'm referring to the Pete Cosey on guitar bands, after his return from retirement he started as jazz fusion again but then became more commercial, but still very fresh and original.

Edited by Easy Money - January 22 2008 at 22:48

Sure, let me know, I think some people on this site would really like a lot of his more obscure stuff.

By the way, I'm not one to argue against his addition here, but once you add an artist don't you really invite the whole discography in?  By the way, get him in and I'll be happy to add as many titles as I have that I don't get beat to.
Birth of the Cool    1949
Round About Midnight    1955
Miles Ahead    1957
Milestones    1958
Porgy and Bess    1958
Kind of Blue    1959
Sketches of Spain    1960
Someday My Prince Will Come    1961
Sorceror    1962
Quiet Nights    1963
E.S.P.    1965
Miles Smiles    1967
Complete In A Silent Way Sessions, The    1968
Filles De Kilimanjaro    1968
Miles In The Sky    1968
Water Babies    1968
Complete Bitches Brew Sessions, The    1970
Tribute to Jack Johnson, A    1970
On the Corner    1972
Pangaea    1975
Agharta    1976
Amandla    1989

PS Bonus (bogus?) points and a cardboard cookie to anyone who can identify the Miles Davis section in my collection collage in my signature. 
Some hints:
1. I didn't start collecting Miles until the CD era.
2. I file artist-chronological.
3. Look for the Bitches Brew Complete Sessions.  It was too tall to fit in a standard row but is still located per hint no 2 (I didn't set it off the side).  Also, In A Silent Way Complete Sessions is similarly situated.



Edited by Slartibartfast - January 23 2008 at 08:27