Miles Davis: Sketches Of Spain (Mono 180g) Vinyl LP

180 gram mono pressing. This album pairs up Miles Davis with arranger and composer Gil Evans.  The compositions are inspired by traditional Spanish folk music and go in a different direction than the pair's previous two records together.  Evans' arrangements make effective use of wind instruments where other composers would have turned to strings.  Flute, trumpet and trombone make the bed for Davis' lead.  Miles seems to have gained some Andalusian gypsy ancestry with this record.  His trumpet playing evokes the cante hondo guitar stylings found in folk music from the region.  When talking about this record Davis is quoted as having said, "I always manage to try something I can't do."  He appears to wipe that sentiment away with his effortless improvising over the complex score that Evans has crafted. 5 tracks in all.

• 180g black vinyl pressing
• mono sound
• featuring Miles Davis (t), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d), Elvin Jones (d) + more
• music label: Columbia 1960 / 2012

reviewed by DRM 09/2012