Miles Smiles

Miles Smiles showcases Davis' deeper exploration of modal performance with looser forms, tempos, and meters. Although the album did not follow the conventions of bop, neither did it follow the formlessness of free jazz. Music theorist Keith Waters writes that the album "accentuated the quintet's connections to both the hard bop tradition and the avant-garde." On three tracks from this album—"Orbits", "Dolores", and "Ginger Bread Boy"—pianist Herbie Hancock takes the unusual liberty of dispensing with left-hand chords and playing only right-hand lines. "Freedom Jazz Dance" has more conventional accompaniment from the piano, although the quintet altered Eddie Harris' composition by inserting additional bars between the melodic phrases of the piece, as well as performing the piece at a slightly faster tempo. "Footprints" Wayne Shorter's composition "Footprints" was first recorded for his album ''Adam's Apple, but on Miles Smiles'', the correlation between African-based (or ), and is playfully explored. Drummer Tony Williams freely moves from swing, to the three-over-two cross rhythm—and to its correlative. The rhythmic approach of Williams, and bassist Ron Carter, strongly suggests compound quadruple meter (), rather than triple meter (), because the ground of four main beats is maintained throughout the piece. The bass switches to at 2:20. Carter’s figure is known as tresillo in Afro-Cuban music and is the duple-pulse correlative of the figure. This may have been the first overt expression of systemic, African-based cross-rhythm used by a straight ahead jazz group. During Davis’ first trumpet solo, Williams shifts to a jazz ride pattern while Carter continues the bass line. The Davis "book" Three of the album's compositions made it to Davis' live "book". "Dolores" is known from a single recording in the spring of 1967. "Ginger Bread Boy" and "Footprints" were played much more frequently. Early live versions of "Ginger Bread Boy" (from the spring and summer of 1966) retained the melody of Heath's original version. The melody on the studio version is somewhat different (presumably changed by Davis), and ensuing versions often retain this change. "Ginger Bread Boy" was played as late as the summer of 1969. "Footprints" appears on Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1, 1969 Miles: Festiva de Juan Pins, Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2, and unofficial live recordings from the Fillmore West in April 1970. ==Reception and legacy==

Miles Smiles received critical acclaim in 1967, CODA editor John Norris praised the quintet's "mastery of sensitive interaction" and wrote that they "must be one of the most beautifully integrated groups ever to play jazz". Nat Hentoff of Stereo Review called Tony Williams and Ron Carter "prodigious technicians and restless", while noting "Though tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter does not quite reach the incandescent performance level attained by his colleagues, he is inspired by them to deliver some of his most inventive playing on records so far." Hentoff cited the quintet as Davis' "most stimulating rhythm team so far" and concluded with a discourse on its potential significance, writing that: Martin Williams, writing for the Saturday Review, called it "an exceptional recital, Davis' best album in some time, and clear evidence of his continuing dedication as an improvising musician", while stating that it is "directly in the tradition of the 'experimental' Davis recordings, the tradition established by Kind of Blue in 1959—an album whose implications jazz musicians are still exploring—and continued by ESP of 1965—an album which seemed to me much less successful". Time similarly complimented both musicians and stated "Williams expertly helps build the mood and [Carter] has a sure feel for the note that underlines the swirl of chords". Reviewing the record's 1992 CD reissue, Q called Miles Smiles "essential...one of the quintet's best albums" and cited "Footprints" and "Dolores" as "all-time great jazz compositions". Musician cited Miles Smiles as one of "the great quintet albums" and wrote that it "has lost none of its cutting edge ... Has any band ever grooved harder than Miles and company do on 'Orbits', 'Dolores' or 'Ginger Bread Boy'--and has Miles ever penned a more touching ballad than 'Circle'?" Erlewine viewed that the quintet "really began to hit their stride, delving deeper into the more adventurous, exploratory side of their signature sound ... all their strengths are in full bloom", and elaborated on the music's accessibility: Down Beat complimented its "simpler, drier, more austere sound" and stated "the unrehearsed, rough Miles Smiles holds up so well simply because it was more of a jazz record ... Davis' exquisite waltz, `Circle,' showcases his lyrical, muted-trumpet playing". ==Track listing==

Columbia – CS 9401 ==Personnel==

Musicians • Miles Davis – trumpet • Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone • Herbie Hancock – piano • Ron Carter – double bass • Tony Williams – drums Production • Producer – Teo Macero • Recording engineer – Frank Laico • Cover photography – Vernon Smith ==References==