In a Silent Way

Miles Davis always seemed to be in the midst of one transition or another, yet he was fully electric here, with Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, and Joe Zawinul all plugged in. It’s also on this 1969 set where producer Teo Macero would truly assemble songs out of lengthy jams based on vamps and grooves instead of melodies. While McLaughlin would later sound like a buzzsaw on Bitches Brew, “Shhh/Peaceful” finds him in a more contemplative mood as the multiple keyboards add layers of dreamy texture. The sustained ambience continues for the first four minutes of the second track before things shift into gear when bassist Dave Holland finds the groove; yet it’s quickly stopped with progression then occurring again and again until Tony Williams finally moves off his hi-hat to play his entire kit. Wayne Shorter is also heard on soprano, foreshadowing his work in The Weather Report and beyond. Davis was a master at creating a vibe, and this release–opaque and visceral, repetitive and freewheeling–is a masterpiece.