Back in time

11 October 2022

Artist: MILES DAVIS
Who: Genial jazz musician-producer-bandleader who was born in Alton, Illinois in 1926.
He made/released 50+ albums, influencing countless artists. he passed away at 65 in
1965 following complications of bronchial pneumonia.

Anniversary album: ON THE CORNER
Released: 11 October 1972 – 50 years ago today

The LP was crushed by many critics and contemporary jazz musicians. Amongst
the haters was saxophonist Stan Getz who said: “That music is worthless. It means
nothing; there is no form, no content, and it barely swings” and Jazz Journal critic Jon
Brown wrote “It sounds merely as if the band had selected a chord and decided to worry
hell out of it for three-quarters of an hour.”

As far as the jazzers were concerned, it completed Davis‘s journey from icon to
fallen idol. They also claimed he wanted to gain more fans among white people.

As it goes frequently with masterpiece albums they’re only appreciated that way,
much later when it’s judged only by their musical strengths, regardless of the time
and the Zeitgeist context of the moment it came out.

In 2014 Stereogum called it “one of the greatest records of the 20th Century, and
easily one of Miles Davis’ most astonishing achievements.”. Alternative Press named
it the “essential masterpiece, representing the high water mark of Davis’ experiments in
the fusion of rock, funk, electronica and jazz” and AllMusic gave it a 5/5 score.

Stream full album via Spotify

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MILES DAVIS: Bio – Discography Website