Miles Davis – A Tribute to Jack Johnson (LP, Mobile Fidelity)

180g SuperVinyl LP, Numbered None of Miles Davis’ albums fulfilled his promise that he could bring together the best rock band you’ve ever heard better than A Tribute To Jack Johnson. This consists of, in addition to Miles Davis himself, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Michael Henderson and Billy Cobham. The material on the two tracks comes from a total of four recording sessions between February and June 1970 and was carefully put together by producer Teo Macero. The result is probably the rockiest jazz album of all time. Legend has it that the recording began when McLaughlin started playing riffs on his guitar while waiting for Davis. Henderson and Cobham jammed along and Hancock, who happened to be there, was persuaded to join in on the Hammond organ. Miles Davis can also be heard from 2:19, playing one of the funkiest, most difficult and complex solos of his career. Rarely has the trumpeter been as out of control as he was here.