Yes, I've read that and it is definitely the most thoughtful treatment of the music I've seen from Crouch (thanks for the spur to revisit it). That said, even at his most generous, when Crouch considers this music I can't shake the specter of a grudging, deeply conditional approval that suggests he still hears it as apostasy first and foremost. There is no doubt that feeling/reading is unavoidably informed and skewed by the fact that I read a lot of later Crouch way before finding this particular piece, and it's hard to honestly consider it in isolation. That said, even here here he cites the length of the pieces as a weakness which, on the one hand: fair enough, that is a matter of taste. On the other hand, the durational aspect IS part of "getting" -- a loaded word here, I know, but I certainly mean it distinctly from "liking" -- that era of Miles music, to my way of thinking. I suppose a listener could hear one of Morton Feldman's extended pieces and argue it should have been shorter, but I would likely argue they may be missing some of the intent. I think that is true in the case of this era of Miles as well.
Thanks for reading and commenting! I note that Mr. Foster himself was ambivalent at best about Miles’s music from 72-75 (see his quote in Hank Shteamer’s NY Times obituary).
FWIW I saw Stanley Crouch and Al Foster hanging out quite comfortably. I don't know if Foster would have co-signed Crouch's approach, which was outsized and occasionally ridiculous, but there's no doubt that what Crouch writes about Miles Davis is in line with what many musicians thought. Crouch only seems like an outlier because musicians rarely had the megaphone in those days.
Re: footnote 7, no, Stanley Crouch does not understand that music.
H'mm. I disagree, Stanley Crouch was there and heard it. Proof is in the 1979 VILLAGE VOICE article "Bringing Atlantis Up to the Top" (Crouch discusses Miles in detail some ways down the page) https://www.villagevoice.com/black-music-bringing-atlantis-up-to-the-top/
Yes, I've read that and it is definitely the most thoughtful treatment of the music I've seen from Crouch (thanks for the spur to revisit it). That said, even at his most generous, when Crouch considers this music I can't shake the specter of a grudging, deeply conditional approval that suggests he still hears it as apostasy first and foremost. There is no doubt that feeling/reading is unavoidably informed and skewed by the fact that I read a lot of later Crouch way before finding this particular piece, and it's hard to honestly consider it in isolation. That said, even here here he cites the length of the pieces as a weakness which, on the one hand: fair enough, that is a matter of taste. On the other hand, the durational aspect IS part of "getting" -- a loaded word here, I know, but I certainly mean it distinctly from "liking" -- that era of Miles music, to my way of thinking. I suppose a listener could hear one of Morton Feldman's extended pieces and argue it should have been shorter, but I would likely argue they may be missing some of the intent. I think that is true in the case of this era of Miles as well.
P.S., on the plus side:
1. I had forgotten his description of At Fillmore in that essay, and it's fantastic.
2. At least we can all agree on Filles de Kilamanjaro.
Thanks for reading and commenting! I note that Mr. Foster himself was ambivalent at best about Miles’s music from 72-75 (see his quote in Hank Shteamer’s NY Times obituary).
FWIW I saw Stanley Crouch and Al Foster hanging out quite comfortably. I don't know if Foster would have co-signed Crouch's approach, which was outsized and occasionally ridiculous, but there's no doubt that what Crouch writes about Miles Davis is in line with what many musicians thought. Crouch only seems like an outlier because musicians rarely had the megaphone in those days.
Very interesting piece again. Thanks. (Was just about to mention that footnote 7 will not pass unnoticed!)
Rated X !!!
Pure genius !!!
The fact that Al Foster could be so musically amazing in so many different contexts, that early in the music's development, is amazing.
Great! Thanks Vin!