A blowing session????

@charles1dad

I respect all of Miles’ work but have to say that his earlier era of late 1940s to the early 1960s (Bebop-Modal) are what I enjoy most. Certainly to each their own.

Me too. I was enamored of his Fusion stuff when I first got into Jazz but it’s been decades since I owned any of those recordings. I’m drawn to strong melodies and actual chord changes. I derive very little satisfaction from listening to blowing over repetitious, open ended vamps. If forced to choose, the group with Herbie, Tony, and Ron,whether with G. Coleman or Wayne on sax, is my very favorite Miles era. Having tried to get back into Bitches Brew and Big Fun numerous times and failed, I’ve given up at this point! I’d rather listen to Mahavishnu O. or Hendrix when in that sort of mood. As you say, each to his own...

@mahgister

Love the aquatic metaphor!

I'm a big fan of Miles' work in the late 60's and early 70's; just ordered the Vinyl Me Please box set of Electric Miles Davis, which has his albums from 'In a Silent Way' to 'Get Up With It'.... 

I never developed the ear for the saxophonist’s individuality as you describe it, but I do have that ear for the electric guitar masters…Clapton, Beck, Page, Green, Bloomfield or Hendrix…a few notes is all it takes. Same for Harmonica players.  Cotton, Wells, Little or Big, etc….  

@crustycoot 

I never developed the ear for the saxophonist’s individuality as you describe it, but I do have that ear for the electric guitar masters

Yes, it depends on what you spend a lot of time listening to. I could not do that with rock guitarists as you can. Jazz guitarists? I could pretty easily. Jim Hall, Wes, Kenny Burrell, Kessel, Pass etc.  No doubt that our ear-brain pathway can be trained to recognize musician’s uniqueness.

​​​​​​​Charles

@larsman

I’m a big fan of Miles’ work in the late 60’s and early 70’s; just ordered the Vinyl Me Please box set of Electric Miles Davis, which has his albums from ’In a Silent Way’ to ’Get Up With It’....

That’s one of the great things about Miles -- there’s something to please just about any Jazz fan!

@crustycoot

I never developed the ear for the saxophonist’s individuality as you describe it, but I do have that ear for the electric guitar masters

It’s purely a matter of exposure/repeated listening. If you can tell the difference between P. Green and D. Kirwan, between EC and Duane on "Layla", between Andy Powell and Ted Turner on "Argus", you can learn to tell the difference between Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon. Of course, you have to like the music enough to begin with, otherwise you won't have any reason to put in the time for this process to occur.