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Comment by khazhoux | Hacker News Reader

My first reaction was to strongly disagree on advising a newbie to start with that period, but you are right to say that period will be the most "unique", even to modern ears.

His 50's-60's work was genius, but is still an easily accessible language, even to non-jazz folks. His later output, by contrast, is a language that was never quite-this or quite-that. It never popularized, and will seem rather bizarre to most people even today.

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Strange to say that Miles' fusion never popularized, because Bitches Brew sold well and sparked imitators (Herbie Hancock's fusion era, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Jaco Pastorious) that also sold well and sold out conventional concert venues. As the Wikipedia article for Bitches Brew notes, the album “was viewed by some writers in the 1970s as what spurred jazz's renewed popularity with mainstream audiences that decade.”

I mean that the musical language of BB (perfect example) won't be familiar to people today (same as it was unfamiliar back then).

By contrast, any of his quintet performances is easily recognized as "jazz", even to people who don't listen to jazz.

BB will be more like "what am I listening to??"

Do you disagree?

That does make sense to an extent. The average listener today is more likely to think of cheesy 80s synthy jazz fusion when they hear of the term, rather than something like Bitches Brew.

They all sound like imitators(not really) because most of them played on the Bitches Brew record. At least Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin. :)

"Imitators" might not be the best word, but judging from these musicians’ recordings as leader or sideman to others up to about 1970, which are generally in a much more traditional postbop vein, they might not have made the leap to fusion had it not been for Miles’ late 1960s albums already opening up a new genre gradually and then IASW and Bitches Brew throwing the doors wide open.

I don’t know if you can call those guys imitators - Herbie, McLaughlin and Zawinul all played on Bitches Brew. It was a seminal “fusion” record for sure and the school of Miles without a doubt left a lasting impression on all of them, but all those groups sound pretty different to me.

I love hearing John McLaughlin tell Miles stories - he has so much respect and gratitude for him.

BB, In a Silent Way and Kind of Blue are probably my favourite Miles records, he really managed to reinvent the art form more times than many other people I can think of

Agreed, none of them are imitators. Proteges, yes.

Zawinul got his start with Cannonball Alderly, and one of his early compositions (Mercy Mercy Mercy) has big fusion vibes to it.

Hancock is just a Miles level genius. My piano teacher told me something like "I can play at Herbie's standard for a 5 minute stretch, but watching him keep at it for 90 minutes solid ..."

McLachlin is a hippie who cut his teeth on the late 60s modal/fusion scene.

In a Silent Way is my favourite jazz album ever. I think the history was they did Bitches Brew, then after that straightened that approach out a bit to make something more accessible.

Protégés - absolutely! I think they all saw it that way too. Miles was the teacher

Timeline on those albums - I think it happened the other way around actually - In A Silent Way was Miles’ first foray into electric jazz in 1969 - Bitches Brew came soon after in 1970 and was pushing the boundaries further. Both great albums, every single player on those albums is great. Miles sure could pick the best for his bands and make it gel together.

Herbie is without a doubt one of the giants. Listened to the Headhunters era albums probably more than any other records in my life. Killer. Love his earlier jazz stuff too, and the acoustic albums he put out later (Joni covers etc)

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