I Own That CD! - Miles Davis

The story goes that Frances Davis, the wife of Miles Davis, insisted that he accompany her to a performance by flamenco dancer Roberto Iglesias. Miles was so inspired by the performance, he went out and bought every flamenco album he could get at Colony Records shop in New York City.

He teamed up with Gil Evans, the amazing arranger and composer, who Davis had worked with previously on albums such as Miles Ahead. But none were more important or matched the beauty of Sketches of Spain. It’s today’s feature on I Own That CD!

Opening with “Concierto de Aranjuez,” a reinterpretation of the second movement of the work from Joaquin Rodrigo’s guitar concerto of the same name, Davis and Evans set the tone for a spectacular release. Clocking in at over sixteen minutes, the song takes many paths. Following the faithful introduction of the concerto's guitar melody on flugelhorn, Evans' arrangement turns into a "quasi-symphonic, quasi-jazz world of sound", according to his biographer. Davis meanwhile, flipped from flugelhorn to trumpet, attempting to connect the various settings musically.

The rest of the release were folk songs that were inspired by recordings made by Alan Lomax, a musician and an American ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music of the 20th century.

“Saeta” is a Gil Evans modification of an Andalusian folk song; a saeta is a form of religious song commonly sung during Holy Week processions. The song starts off military style, building in volume as the procession approaches us. Then Miles comes in. His playing is like the vocals of a saeta, only done here through his amazing trumpet playing. Aside from the opener, it’s the highlight for me, as Davis reaches deep for his playing that soars above the quiet din of the backing music.

Closing out the album is “Solea,” which focuses on Flamenco, which Davis had previously explored in “Flamenco Sketches” from Kind of Blue. “Solea” is more steeped in Flamenco rhythms, flavors and dynamics. A “solea” is a core form of Flamenco that I read once as “Flamenco Meets the Blues”. It’s a seductive piece that allows Davis to sway and move within Evans arrangement.

Hailed as not only one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, but one of the greatest albums in general (ranks 358 on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time). So listen to it now, but next summer, promise me, you’ll mix yourself a negroni and pop on Sketches of Spain. You’ll thank me for it. And if you want, you can borrow my copy.