Nefertiti (Miles Davis album)

Nefertiti
Studio album by Miles Davis
Released	1968
Recorded	June 7, June 22 and July 19, 1967 30th Street Studio (New York, New York)
Genre	Jazz Post-bop Modal jazz
Length	39:15 (Original LP) 62:34 (CD Reissue)
Label	Columbia CS-9594
Producer	Teo Macero (A1, A3, B1) Howard Roberts (A2, B2, B3)
Miles Davis chronology
Sorcerer (1967) Nefertiti (1968) Miles in the Sky (1968)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Penguin Guide to Jazz	[2]
Q	[3]
Warr.org	[4]

Nefertiti is a studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis, released in 1968 on Columbia Records.^[5] Recorded on June 7, June 22 and July 19, 1967 at Columbia's 30th Street Studio, the album was Davis' last fully acoustic album. Davis himself did not contribute anything in the way of compositions, which are mostly written by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.^[6] The album reached #8 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums charts in 1968.^[7] Nefertiti was reissued, CK-65681, in 1998 by Columbia and Legacy Records.^[8]

Music

The fourth album by Miles Davis' second classic quintet, Nefertiti is best known for the unusual title track, on which the horn section repeats the melody numerous times without individual solos while the rhythm section improvises underneath, reversing the traditional role of a rhythm section.^[6] Also featured are the lilting ballad "Fall", Williams's "Hand Jive", a more boppish composition, and the other pieces showcase the group's unique post-bop approach. Both "Nefertiti" and "Riot" entered the Davis quintet's live set. Featuring mostly acoustic arrangements, the music of Nefertiti, while mostly low-key mood music, is rooted in hard bop.^[6] While remaining acoustic, the album signaled Miles Davis' transition from bop and modal to jazz fusion.^[6]

As a transition for Davis, the impressionistic chords of the songs hint at the conception of his next albums, Miles in the Sky, Filles de Kilimanjaro, and the critically acclaimed In a Silent Way, his first three fusion albums.^[6] Following Nefertiti's release, Davis would begin to experiment with electric instruments, marking the beginning of his electric period.^[9]

Track listing

All songs written by Wayne Shorter, except where noted.^[6]

Side one

1. "Nefertiti" – 7:52
2. "Fall" – 6:39
3. "Hand Jive" (Williams) – 8:54

Side two

1. "Madness" (Hancock) – 7:31
2. "Riot" (Hancock) – 3:04
3. "Pinocchio" – 5:08

CD reissue includes alternate takes of "Hand Jive" (two takes), "Madness" and "Pinocchio".

Chart history

Billboard Music Charts (North America) – Nefertiti^[7]

• 1968: Top Jazz Albums – #8

Personnel

Musicians

• Miles Davis - trumpet
• Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
• Herbie Hancock - piano
• Ron Carter - double bass
• Tony Williams - drums

Additional personnel

• Teo Macero – producer
• Howard Roberts – producer
• Fred Plaut, Ray Moore – engineer
• Rob Schwarz – mastering

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Penguin Guide to Jazz review
3. ^ Q review
4. ^ Warr.org review
5. ^ "Miles Davis Quintet 1965-'68: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet - Notes". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/1410360. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "allmusic {{{ Nefertiti > Overview }}}". All Media Guide, LLC.. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r106161. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "allmusic {{{ Nefertiti > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums }}}". All Media Guide, LLC.. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r106161/charts-awards. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
8. ^ "Discogs.com - Miles Davis - Nefertiti". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/219046. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
9. ^ "Jazz Democracy - By Adam Shatz - Slate Magazine". Washington Post.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC. http://www.slate.com/id/3160/. Retrieved 2008-07-31.