Big Fun (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Big Fun
Type = Album
Artist = Miles Davis


Released = April 19, 1974
Recorded = November 19, 1969–June 12, 1972 Columbia Studio E
(New York, New York)
Genre = Jazz fusion
Length = 1:38:45 (Original LP) 2:22:24 (CD Reissue)
Label = Columbia
Producer = Teo Macero
Reviews =
*"All About Jazz" (favorable) [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=7910 link]
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:8yd6vwria9tk link]
*"Alternative Press" Rating|4|5 [http://www.tower.com/big-fun-miles-davis-cd/wapi/106692325 link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Miles+Davis link]
*"The Independent" (favorable) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000813/ai_n14321838 link]
*"JazzTimes" (favorable) [http://www.tower.com/big-fun-miles-davis-cd/wapi/106692325 link]
*"Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/milesdavis/albums/album/134908/review/6067398/big_fun link]
*Stylus Magazine (favorable) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/miles-davis-big-fun.htm link]
Last album = "On the Corner" (1972)
This album = "Big Fun" (1974)
Next album = "Get Up with It" (1974)

"Big Fun" is a double album recorded between 1969 and 1972 by Miles Davis. It was released on April 19 1974 as a double LP. Largely ignored on its original release, its 2001 extended reissue has led to a belated reevaluation.

Overview

"Big Fun"'s main musical flavor is an Indian-tinged jazz-rock, often incorporating sitar, tambura, tabla, and other Indian instruments. Most of the tracks were recorded during the 1969-1970 "sessions for Bitches Brew", plus "Go Ahead John" from the 1970 "Tribute to Jack Johnson" sessions, and "Ife" from the 1972 "On the Corner" sessions. The original LP and its four side-long cuts were at the time largely ignored, or dismissed as filler material. The later CD reissue, and its four additional tracks, got more attention and respect, making it a considered and more appreciated album.

"Recollections", which is a reworking of Joe Zawinul's "In a Silent Way" was used in the film, "Finding Forrester." "Lonely Fire" was used as a sample in The Notorious B.I.G.'s track "Suicidal Thoughts" on his album "Ready to Die".

Track listing

Original double LP release

ide one

# "Great Expectations/Orange Lady" (Davis, Zawinul) - 27:23
#* "Great Expectations" (Davis, Zawinul) - 13:34
#* "Orange Lady" (Zawinul) - 13:49

ide two

# "Ife" (Davis) - 21:34

ide three

# "Go Ahead John" (Davis) - 28:27

ide four

# "Lonely Fire" (Davis) - 21:21

2001 CD reissue

CD 1

# "Great Expectations/Orange Lady" - 27:23
# "Ife" - 21:34
# "Recollections" (Zawinul) - 18:55
# "Trevere" (Davis) - 5:55

CD 2

# "Go Ahead John" - 28:27
# "Lonely Fire" - 21:21
# "The Little Blue Frog" (Davis) - 9:10
# "Yaphet" (Davis) - 9:39

Note: "Great Expectations/Orange Lady" is often shortened to "Great Expectations".

Personnel

Musicians

; "Great Expectations/Orange Lady" (1 November 1969 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* John McLaughlin - electric guitar
* Khalil Balakrishna - electric sitar, tamboura
* Bihari Sharima - electric sitar, tamboura
* Herbie Hancock - electric piano
* Chick Corea - electric piano
* Ron Carter - double bass
* Harvey Brooks - Fender bass guitar
* Billy Cobham - drums
* Airto Moreira - percussion

; "Ife" (12 June 1972 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Sonny Fortune - soprano saxophone, flute
* Bennie Maupin - clarinet, flute
* Carlos Garnett - soprano saxophone
* Lonnie Liston Smith - piano
* Harold I. Williams, Jr. - piano
* Michael Henderson - double bass
* Al Foster - drums
* Billy Hart - drums
* Badal Roy - tabla
* James Mtume - African percussion

; + "Recollections" (6 February 1970 - Columbia Studio B)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Wayne Shorter - soprano saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* John McLaughlin - guitar
* Joe Zawinul - electric piano (left)
* Chick Corea - electric piano (right)
* Dave Holland - electric bass guitar
* Billy Cobham - triangle
* Jack DeJohnette - drums
* Airto Moreira - cuíca, percussion

; + "Trevere" (28 November 1969 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* Chick Corea - electric piano
* Larry Young - organ, celeste
* Khalil Balakrishna - electric sitar
* Bihari Sharima - tamboura
* Harvey Brooks - electric bass guitar
* Dave Holland - double bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums
* Billy Cobham - drums
* Airto Moreira - cuíca, berimbau

; "Go Ahead John" (3 March 1970 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
* John McLaughlin - electric guitar
* Dave Holland - double bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums

; "Lonely Fire" (28 November 1969 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* Khalil Balakrishna - sitar, Indian instruments
* Chick Corea - electric piano
* Joe Zawinul - electric piano, Farfisa organ
* Dave Holland - double bass
* Harvey Brooks - Fender bass guitar
* Jack DeJohnette - drums
* Billy Cobham - drums
* Airto Moreira - Indian instruments, percussion

; + "The Little Blue Frog" (28 November 1969 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* John McLaughlin - guitar
* Chick Corea - electric piano
* Larry Young - organ, celeste
* Khalil Balakrishna - electric sitar
* Bihari Sharima - tamboura
* Harvey Brooks - electric bass guitar
* Dave Holland - double bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums
* Billy Cobham - drums
* Airto Moreira - cuíca, berimbau

; + "Yaphet" (19 November 1969 - Columbia Studio E)

* Miles Davis - trumpet
* Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
* Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
* John McLaughlin - guitar
* Herbie Hancock - electric piano (left)
* Chick Corea - electric piano (right)
* Khalil Balakrishna - electric sitar
* Bihari Sharima - tamboura, tabla
* Harvey Brooks - electric bass guitar
* Ron Carter - double bass
* Billy Cobham - drums, triangle
* Airto Moreira - cuíca, berimbau

Additional personnel

; 2-LP original

* Teo Macero - original record producer
* Seth Rothstein - project director
* Frank Laico, Stan Tonkel - original audio engineer
* Russ Payne, Stan Weiss, John Guerriere - original mix engineer
* Steve Berkowitz - A&R for Legacy
* Patti Matheny, Darren Salmieri - A&R coordination
* Corky McCoy - original cover art

; 2-CD reissue

* Bob Belden - reissue producer
* Seth Foster - reissue digital remastering at Sony Music Studios, NYC
* Bennie Maupin - reissue main liner notes
* Swing Journal Co., Ltd. Japan - reissue backcover photography
* Uve Kuusik - reissue liner notes photography
* Howard Fritzson - reissue art direction
* Randall Martin - reissue design
* Rachel Dicono - packaging manager
* John Jackson - production assistance