In this episode our 50 years ago in the avant-garde feature casts its spotlight on Miles Davis for the last time in a while, with a look at the final recordings of his electric period, captured in February 1975 at its most guitar-centric extreme. We contrast its strain of “funk with an experimental edge” to a pair of contemporaneous albums by Oliver Lake and Leroy Jenkins (the latter featuring the Jazz Composers Orchestra in its final recording) that represent a competing flavor of free jazz which, like fusion music, evolved from post-WW2 bebop. Moving to the present time, we embark on a spiritual journey led by David Lang and The Crossing, with stops in Europe (via Edward Cowie, Francisco Coll, Age Veeroos and Freya Waley-Cohen) and Chicago (c/o Timothy Daisy and Erez Dessel). Some enchanted East-meets-West from Xiaogang Ye and the Fidelio Trio rounds out the playlist. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell.
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Flotation Device 2025-02-02: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: A spiritual journey [0:00]
1. [1:37] Miles Davis: Tatu. From Agharta (Columbia, 1975) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with wah-wah, organ), Pete Cosey (electric guitar L channel), Reggie Lucas (electric guitar R channel), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Al Foster (drums), Mtume (conga, rhythm box), Tamoo Suzuki (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 1, 1975 at Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan (afternoon show)
2. [8:22] David Lang: Poor Hymnal - I saw a poor man. From Poor Hymnal (Cantaloupe, 2024) with The Crossing, Donald Nally (conductor), Paul Vazquez (recording engineer, Articulate Studios)
3. [11:04] Edward Cowie: Glaukopis - 5. Tyto alba (Barn Owl). From The Kreutzer Effect (Métier/Divine Art Recordings, 2024) with Neil Heyde (cello), Jonathan Haskell (recording engineer)
4. [14:45] David Lang: Poor Hymnal - Take nothing with you (after Luke 9:3). From Poor Hymnal (credits as above)
5. [18:12] Tim Daisy: Oakton Shade. From October Music, Vol 4: 7 Compositions for duet (Relay, 2024) with Erez Dessel (piano), Tim Daisy (percussion), Alex Inglizian (recording engineer)
6. [22:59] David Lang: Poor Hymnal - Prayer for kindness. From Poor Hymnal (credits as above)
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SET 2: 50 years ago in the avant-garde: Jenkins and Lake [26:20]
1. [30:00] Leroy Jenkins: For Players Only (excerpts). From For Players Only (JCOA, 1975) with Leroy Jenkins (violin), Jazz Composers Orchestra: Becky Friend (flute, piccolo), Dewey Redman (clarinet, musette, banshee horn), Charles Brackeen (soprano saxophone), Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre (tenor saxophone), Anthony Braxton (contrabass clarinet), Sharon Freeman (French horn), Leo Smith (trumpet), Joseph Bowie (trombone), Bill Davis (tuba), Romulus Franceschini (synthesizer), James Emery (guitar), Diedre Murray (cello), Sirone, Dave Holland (basses), Jerome Cooper (drums, percussion, piano), Charles Shaw, Roger Blank (drums, percussion), Tony May (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded January 30, 1975 at Wollman Auditorium, Columbia University, New York
2. [40:15] Xiaogang Ye: Enchanted Bamboo for Piano Quintet, Op. 18. From Chamber Music (Resonus Classics, 2024) with Fidelio Trio & Friends: Darragh Morgan, David Alberman (violins), Carmen Flores (viola), Tim Gill (cello), Mary Dullea (piano), Adam Binks (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1989
3. [50:25] Outro with Xiaogang Ye: Gardenia for pipa and string quartet
4. [58:47] Oliver Lake: Owshet. From Heavy Spirits (Arista, 1975) with Oliver Lake (alto saxophone), Olu Dara (trumpet), Donald Smith (piano), Stafford James (bass), Victor Lewis (drums), Elvin Campbell (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded January 31, 1975 in New York City
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SET 3: 50 years ago in the avant-garde: Miles one last time [1:04:17]
1. [1:06:41] Miles Davis: Agharta Prelude. From Agharta (Columbia, 1975) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with wah-wah, organ), Sonny Fortune (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute), Pete Cosey (electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion), Reggie Lucas (electric guitar), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Al Foster (drums), Mtume (conga, percussion), Tamoo Suzuki (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 1, 1975 at Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan (afternoon show)
2. [1:16:28] Miles Davis: Right Off. From Agharta (credits as above)
3. [1:31:47] Miles Davis: Nne. From Pangaea (Columbia, 1975) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with wah-wah, organ), Sonny Fortune (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute), Pete Cosey (electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion), Reggie Lucas (electric guitar), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Al Foster (drums), Mtume (conga, percussion), Tamoo Suzuki (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 1, 1975 at Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan (evenint show)
4. [1:34:52] Miles Davis: Maiysha. From Agharta (Columbia, 1975) with Miles Davis (electric trumpet with wah-wah), Pete Cosey (electric guitar, percussion), Reggie Lucas (electric guitar), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Al Foster (drums), Mtume (conga, percussion), Tamoo Suzuki (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 1, 1975 at Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan (afternoon show)
5. [1:36:42] Voice break with Miles Davis: Frelon Brun (from Filles de Kilimanjaro)
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SET 4: New, European and composed
1. [1:39:30] Francisco Coll: Liquid Symmetries - 1. From A Portrait (Challenge Classics, 2025) with New European Ensemble, Tito Muñoz (conductor), Karel Bruggeman (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2013, premiere recording
2. [1:43:49] Freya Waley-Cohen: Spell Book - spell for the witch's hammer. From Spell Book (NMC, 2024) with Héloïse Werner (soprano), Katie Bray (mezzo-soprano), Fleur Barron (mezzo-soprano), Manchester Collective: Rakhi Singh, Eva Thorarinsdottir (violins), Lucy Nolan (viola), Peggy Nolan (cello), Diane Clark (double bass), Helen Wilson (flute), Anna Hashimoto (clarinet), Katherine Tinker (piano), Céline Saout (harp), Brendan Williams (recording engineer)
3. [1:48:23] Age Veeroos: Schattenseele. From Outlines of the Night (Kairos, 2024) with There are no more four seasons: George Kentros (violin), Mattias Petersson (electronics, recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2019, premiere recording
4. [1:55:18] Outro with Age Veeroos: Fantasia "A Threadbare Chant"
Photo credits: Oliver Lake via the artist, Miles Davis in 1975 (James Mtume, Al Foster, Miles Davis, Michael Henderson, Reggie Lucas, Sonny Fortune, Pete Cosey), Edward Cowie via the artist, Freya Waley-Cohen via the artist, Age Veeroos by Rene Jakobson, Xiaogang Ye via Schott Music, Self-portrait by Francisco Coll, Poor Hymnal by David Lang, Leroy Jenkins via Pi Recordings, Tim Daisy via the artist