Miles Davis: "E.S.P."

This is an important album in the recorded legacy of Miles Davis. It is the first studio recording of what was referred to as Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet. It was recorded in Los Angeles in January of 1965. The band with Miles Davis on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums was on a west coast tour and Miles agreed to record the band under producer Irving Townsend as Miles had a temporary falling out with his long time producer Teo Macero. The Quintet is in inspired form and all the compositions are new to the Davis oeuvre. Strangely only one, Miles Davis' "Agitation" entered the band's nightclub and concert repertoire. The rest were as far as I know never played after this recording. Wayne Shorter wrote the title track "E.S.P." and "Iris". Herbie Hancock contributed "Little One", Ron Carter wrote "R.J." and "Mood". 1965 was a difficult year after this for Miles and due to a bad car accident and hospitalizations for blood and liver problems, Miles and the Quintet were inactive for most of that year but they emerged late in December 1965 and the odyssey continued. This recording is a great moment and deserves attention as this music never seems to date despite being recorded nearly 60 years ago!