TSD welcomes back Sam Stone for a guest post about Vinyl Me, Please's upcoming Anthology of Miles Davis' landmark electric period in which he redefined the sound of jazz alongside such key sidemen as Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Dave Holland, Tony Williams, Harvey Brooks, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Henderson, Billy Cobham, Keith Jarrett, Airto Moreira, James Mtume, and many others.

Vinyl Me, Please has announced the latest volume in its ongoing VMP Anthology series: Miles Davis: The Electric Years. The 7-album, 11-LP box set highlights one of the most daring periods in his legendary career, as the bandleader-trumpeter-composer melded jazz, funk, rock, and electronic elements into a new brand of jazz-fusion. The landmark 1969-1974 albums included in the box - In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Live-Evil, On The Corner, Big Fun, and Get Up With It - have been remastered AAA with 1:1 tape transfers by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, with Steve Berkowitz consulting and supervising. The albums are presented on 180-gram vinyl pressed at GZ and are housed in a slipcase featuring silver ink work and a portrait of Davis in the style of Tadayuki Naitoh. The press release notes that this first edition is limited to 2,000 units.

As always, VMP seeks to go beyond your usual box set by offering not only an extensive liner notes booklet written by jazz historian Ben Ratliff, but also an immersive podcast. Each episode is hosted by VMP's Director of Music and executive producer of the collection, Andrew Winistorfer, and explores the albums' history and impact. "Doing a box dedicated to Miles Davis has been a goal and dream for us since we started VMP Anthology in 2019," Winistorfer said in a statement. "It took us a while to decide on how to narrow it down; Miles has something like four or five different eras you could put into a box like this. But the electric period is one of his least explored. The big titles get all the attention, and we thought there was a way to show people how groundbreaking and incredible this time in Miles' career was by doing all of his studio albums of this period. What emerges is a picture of an artist in his third professional decade, refusing to rest on his laurels and inventing a new future in real time."

Miles Davis: The Electric Years is expected to ship in November 2023. It's available to order now from Vinyl Me, Please's website, and if you're a VMP member you'll receive an automatic discount.  You'll find the track listing below!

 

Miles Davis, VMP Anthology: The Electric Years (Vinyl Me, Please, 2023)

In a Silent Way (originally released as Columbia LP CS 9875, 1969)

Side 1:
1. Shhh/Peaceful

Side 2:
1. In A Silent Way/It's About That Time

Bitches Brew (originally released as Columbia LP CS 9995, 1970)

Side 1:
1. Pharaoh's Dance

Side 2:
1. Bitches Brew

Side 3:
1. Spanish Key
2. John McLaughlin

Side 4:
1. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
2. Sanctuary

A Tribute to Jack Johnson (this edition released as Columbia LP KC 30455, 1971)

Side 1:
1. Right Off

Side 2:
2. Yesternow

Live-Evil (originally released as Columbia LP G 30954, 1971)

Side 1:
1. Sivad
2. Little Church
3. Medley: Gemini/Double Image

Side 2:
1. What I Say
2. Nem Um Talvez

Side 3:
1. Selim
2. Funky Tonk

Side 4:
1. Inamorata and Narration By Conrad Roberts

On The Corner (originally released as Columbia LP KC 31906, 1972)

Side 1:
1. On The Corner / New York Girl / Thinkin' One Thing And Doin' Another / Vote for Miles
2. Black Satin

Side 2:
1. One And One
2. Helen Butte / Mr. Freedom X

Big Fun (originally released as Columbia LP PG 32866, 1974)

Side 1:
1. Great Expectations / Mulher Laranja

Side 2:
1. Ife

Side 3:
1. Go Ahead John

Side 4:
1. Lonely Fire

Get Up With It (originally released as Columbia LP KG 33236, 1974)

Side 1:
1. He Loved Him Madly

Side 2:
1. Maiysha
2. Honky Tonk
3. Rated X

Side 3:
1. Calypso Frelimo

Side 4:
1. Red China Blues
2. Mtume
3. Billy Preston​