Running the Voodoo Down

Tuesday. Not much is going on today. It's a typical Tuesday. I'm putting together my preliminary spreadsheet report for this week's upload right now, and after that I will probably do a mixture of order approvals and collections. The Big Boss Lady is still in town so I have to look at least somewhat productive, but she does grant me a bit of levity so that is cool.

Speaking of cool, I listened to Miles Davis' landmark album B1tches Brew this morning on my way to work. I really like Miles Davis and have about 4-5 of his albums (Kind of Blue being my favorite). On this double album, Davis sought to go beyond cool and usher in a new, exploratory form of jazz. While this genre was never given a name, it has been described as a fusion of jazz, rock and funk. Its formless and improvisational style inspired many a musician, including The Grateful Dead who toured with Miles on his B1tches Brew European tour. Apparently there are some detractors of this album. Much like when fans became angry at Bob Dylan for going electric, many fans who were expecting another Kind of Blue were turned off by this new, electric sound. So, is Miles Davis a sell-out or a pioneer? I tend to think that a true artist should push the envelope and explore new realms to make us appreciate what we never knew was there or never paid attention to before. This album is phenomenal in my opinion, and I highly recommend it. If you think of jazz as a bunch of rag-timey guys sitting around playing trombones and clarinets, pick up this album. Your perception of jazz will never be the same.