Recording of the Week, Paolo Fresu - Kind of MILES

There have been plenty of albums that have been dedicated to the legacy of the incomparable Miles Davis. From Joe Henderson’s So Near, So Far and Cassandra Wilson’s Traveling Miles, to A Tribute to Miles by the last remaining players of the Second Great Quintet (not to mention the more recent and contemporary album London Brew) there’s certainly an abundance of albums to explore. Our Recording of the Week this week can certainly be added to that list, but make no mistake: it’s not a reinterpretation album or a collection of personal favourites from the Miles Davis catalogue. Yes, it is a tribute album, but it’s also the soundtrack to a theatrical concert surrounding the artist’s life and music – created and performed by none other than Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu.

Fresu has been recognised as an established and influential player on the European jazz scene for many years. Known famously for his distinctive and lyrical sound, Fresu was first inspired by Davis upon hearing him play 'Autumn Leaves' with such innovation that Fresu didn't even recognise the melody, despite having played 'La Foglie Morte' countless times in dance clubs himself. Marked by this first exposure to the musical freedom of jazz, Fresu has since produced albums with ACT Music and ECM, and collaborated with the likes of Carla Bley, Enrico Rava and David Liebman. His latest project saw him lift the curtain on his new theatre concert at the end of last year which constructed a musical journey reflecting on the life and music of Miles Davis, as well as incorporating his own personal experiences. The actual show itself is hard to define; it’s like a hybrid of sorts: spoken word meeting live music and technology. The narration goes hand in hand with impressive video and visual images by Marco Usuelli and Alexandre Cayuela (including visual constructions of Fresu’s playing from sensors he wears) that are displayed on huge backdrop screens, creating an intimate but dynamic theatrical experience. 

Fresu performs on trumpet and flugelhorn, but is joined by an ensemble that consists of Bebo Ferra (electric guitar), Filippo Vignato (trombone/effects/synths), Dino Rubino (piano/Fender Rhodes), Marco Bardoscia (double bass), Federico Malaman (electric bass), Stefano Bagnoli (drums) and Christian Meyer (drums). Part of the ensemble’s ingenious design is its ability to chart Davis’ musical evolution, from traditional jazz all the way to the electronic sounds that he experimented with later on in his career. The staging reflects this too: the acoustic lineup is on one side of the stage and the electronic is on the other, but Fresu as bandleader and trumpeter stands between them both. The symbolic significance of Fresu moving to and fro between musical atmospheres certainly brings to mind Davis’ own keen sense of musical freedom and a nod to his vehement refusal to be pigeon-holed into one genre. 

Kind of MILES begins with ‘It Never Entered My Mind’ by Rodgers and Hammerstein, a song that was recorded by Miles on the album Workin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet. It’s worth a mention here that the album doesn’t quite mirror the stage show’s track order, and tracks have been adjusted slightly for listeners that are without the benefit of the staging and narrative accompaniment. Fresu opts to separate the pieces into ‘Shadows and Lights’ (or acoustic and electric) segments instead, and with 21 tracks in total, listeners certainly get the full range. The romantic and intimate intro by Rubino and Bagnoli sets the tone for the acoustic set before Fresu opens with a muted trumpet solo, full of the expressive lyricism he does so well. ‘Back In’ swings nicely and features an expressive trombone solo from Vignato, and the acoustic section closes with a moody and sonorous rendition of Gershwin’s ‘Bess, You Is My Woman Now’ which sees Fresu switching to the warm and soulful flugelhorn. 

Moving into the electric side of the album, ‘Time After Time’ is a lovely moment for Ferra to play a soft and atmospheric guitar solo and ‘Violet’ allows for Malaman to shine with a rapid and funky bassline that underpins the unison trumpet and trombone line up top. Though many of these pieces are taken from the repertoire of Miles Davis across the years, Fresu has given himself plenty of scope for some originals too – all inspired by the sounds or melodic phrases of Davis’ own tracks. ‘Malamiles’ gives a strong funk sound with plenty of bass and Fender Rhodes and in ‘Inventum’ the electronic effects and rocky vibes are in full force, effectively bringing the album to a close. 

To quote the Prince of Darkness, “The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.” Well, I would certainly argue that Fresu does both. Listening to Kind of MILES strikes you as much more than a tribute album; it’s one that aims to celebrate the spirit and the sounds of one of the greatest musical influences of the twentieth century, all whilst incorporating the freshness and innovations of today. Now that's certainly a sentiment that I think Davis could get behind.