This 2004 documentary premiered today on the Canadian channel COOL TV. It centers around Miles Davis' legendary appearance at the Isle Of Wight music festival on August 29, 1970. Director Murray Lerner has produced previous documentaries about the festival itself and Jimi Hendrix's appearance at the festival. He uses Miles' appearance at Isle Of Wight to look at his determination to use electric instruments in jazz and has plenty of interviews.
At some point in the late 1960s, Miles Davis decided that looking and sounding like a typical jazz musician wasn't getting him anywhere. Oh, he was making money and doing well but Miles was looking for something different. Carlos Santana and Herbie Hancock say that Miles' short lived marriage to Betty Mabry in 1967 was a pivotal event in his life as the newlywed Betty Davis introduced Miles to the music of Jimi Hendrix. Her own recordings in the 70s were very unusual too. Santana says Betty was comparable to Madonna except Betty made Madonna look like Donny Osmond. This made Miles look at using electric instruments and rock elements in jazz. Musicians and critics heaped scorn upon Miles but time has proven that Miles knew what he was doing.
That's pretty much what all the interviewed musicians say in the film. Pianists Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea & Keith Jarrett all said they had never used electric keyboards before. They were very reluctant but they all wanted to work with Miles. Things turned out very well for all those guys. Sax player Dave Leibman, guitarist Pete Cosey & percussionist James Mtume played on the On The Corner album in 1974. By that time, the resistance to fusion music was gone but Miles had gone even further into funk territory. Jazz had to change and Miles Davis changed it.
Miles Davis and his band performed a 38 minute set at the Isle Of Wight festival on August 29, 1970. He was preceded on stage by Tiny Tim. The bulk of the set was the song Call It Anything and is included in its entirety in the film. Joni Mitchell was there and was concerned that the rock audience wouldn't accept Miles. The musicians in the band talk about the experience. Brazilian percussion legend Airto Moreira says he doesn't remember much about the performance and thinks he was in a trance. With all his various gadgets and sounds, he is fascinating to watch on stage. Organist Keith Jarrett says that they couldn't find a suitable electric piano so he was given an organ instead. His role wasn't to solo but to create an atmosphere. Sax player Gary Bartz says it was only their third show together. Pianist Chick Corea & bassist Dave Holland are interviewed too.
The film ends with Carlos Santana playing Sketches Of Spain on his guitar, Herbie Hancock playing a short tribute to Miles and Airto Moreira using his voice and various percussion instruments to become a one man Miles Davis band. Electric Miles is a fascinating look at one of the most important and influential musicians in music history and what went into his decision to use electric instruments in jazz. Some embraced it. Some rejected it. But Miles knew that it was the right decision for him. The film is a must for jazz fans.
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