Are Alembic players more prone to be band leader?

[David Houck]

Nick; you wrote about Miles Davis that the consensus is that he was a moody unpredictable drug addict.  Miles kicked his addiction, which started around 1950, in 1954; thus the only players among whom a consensus could call him a drug addict would be those who played with him prior to 1955.  Miles recorded a lot of albums and led a lot of bands after 1954 until his death in 1991.
 
Personally, I do not think it a stretch that someone would suggest Miles to be the best band leader of all time.  Miles brought forth amazing music from the players that he led.  It was Miles' leadership that brought forth Kind of Blue, an album that many consider the most important and influential jazz album ever.  It was his leadership that brought forth Bitches Brew and Birth of the Cool, both considered to be major turning points in the history of jazz.  There are other band leaders who have had similar impacts on the history of music, Ellington and Zappa to name two off the top of my head, and I personally tend to shy away from calling anyone the best of anything; but I can certainly understand why someone might find Miles the best band leader.  He was, in my view, certainly one of the most important.

[hendixclarke]

You will know the tree, by fruits it bares...
 
Miles Davis, O God, I would dare anyone to try to live in his shoes for one day... You pick any of the the years.. 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's you would throw a chair.
 
I recommend you read his Autobiography written with Quincy Troupe before to throw stones on a Great Man like Miles.  
 
I will say nothing more on this... Not one word more!

[sonicus]

One of the aspects of aspects of the leadership that Miles Davis offered the music world was giving relatively new young talents a chance to express them selves as  artists while being   booked in HIS gig  and giving them a chance to be heard by the WORLD! One thing is sure and that is if Miles released a musical production EVERYONE was listening. I really feel that this is the most beautiful gift that an elder established musical artist can offer  to talented young players . Miles was giving these CATS  
an opportunity to show  them selves in prime light !
 
(Message edited by sonicus on July 16, 2009)

[hendixclarke]

When Gill Evans and Miles had reached out to Jimi to fill the void, one could imagine what magic and new direction Jazz would had gone.  
 
I think many young rockers picked up on it... Thus the birth of Fusion Jazz...

[jacko]

Hey Nick, sorry for the delay - it was bedtime over here ;-)  Of course we're good;-) the world would be a poorer place if everyone had the same opinion and it's a real shame the internet is so bad at conveying emotion, humour, facial expressions etc. I've said many times to people on here that if we were to meet in person we'd get along straightaway.
And thanks Dave, Hal and Wolf for chiming in. I knew I couldn't be the only one that likes Miles ;-)
 
Graeme
 
p.s. Dan said I think bald Canadians are more prone to be band leaders......  The drummer in Big Tuna is bald, canadian, gets the gigs, sorts the set lists and does all the on stage patter. Proves the point admirably ;-)

[slawie]

My band used to make me run all the leads.....
 
 
thats why I left
 
 
slawie

[georgie_boy]

Thanks Graeme
You're right of course!
It was just, that my brain had gone into melt down mode, and I nearly forgot how to speak English!
 
G

[afrobeat_fool]

Hey guy's. Just getting up here on the west coast of America. Not to beat a dead horse but may bee you guys don't recall Miles's terrible coke habit starting during the On the Corner days and extending thru the early 90's.He states this very clearly in his Autobiography. Heck, he even had his nephew running around town to score before a practice could start. Now look, I love Miles. All his music and the way he continued to reinvent himself is an inspiration to me. I have spent many, many hours transcribing his melodies and solo work. Originally suggested by my bass teacher, Phil Baker, the work took on a life of it's own as I became enamored with the simplicity and complexity of such a minimalist construction. I am stating it's very hard to work with leaders that are more interested in getting f*$#3d up than rehersing. Or nodding out on stage. Or the opposite. Getting all coked up before a show and breaking strings and busting their axe.I will never know what it's like to be a Miles Davis. Where I live the elder statesmen that gave young cats a chance died. They gave me a chance and I ran with it and have been gigging ever since. But the current old guard have every gig locked up, and the club owners don't want to hear anything new. It's all Autumn Leaves, and Love for sale. Great tunes, but overplayed. Thank you all for being soooooo cool on this forum. I looked around at it a few years ago. I am glad I found my way back.

[chalie_holmes]

Hey Nick,
That is exactly why I formed the unit I have now because most of the other groups focus on The Real Book material. I do not have anything against that material but I really wanted to do something entirely different than what most of  the other musical groups perform in my neck of the woods. We still incorporate a few real book tunes now and then, but the bulk of our stuff is Smooth jazz,Jazz rock/funk. Hell, I just transcribed a feel good tune  All Night Long By Lionel Richie. And Heavy Cloud no Rain By Sting. For me, I like to play alot of different songs, the great thing is that the guys that are in my unit wanted to play this stuff too!Did I mention that we cover Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Al Jarreau, Stanley Clark, Marcus Miller, Dizzy Gillespie, Marylyn Scott,and Brian Bromberg too?! And that's just the tip of the iceberg!! Peace brother!  
Chalie Holmes

[bluplirst]

Hey Graeme,
 
I was thinking about Paul Shaffer.  Thanks for supporting my point.  I must be on to something...
 
Dan

[chalie_holmes]

Oops, I forgot to say that I got the Woody Stroode look too! (for those that do not know who woody is, he was the guy that was going to kill Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) in the fight scene.
Tall tan and bald baby!

[spose]

not too sure about band leader, but it seems EVERY band I've been in, I am the one that is technically proficient and wind up being the sound and tech... I think the bass player in a lot of bands become the sound guy for this reason...and if you play an Alembic...you obviously have a technical bent so you can't hide!

[pauldo]

Chalie - other than travelling to the Keystone state where could a fella hear some of your stuff?
 
Stevie, Stanley, Marcus and Bromberg!!! Man you must be one busy cat - I understand why you have the best rig ever! And why you are tall tan and bald!!!:-D

[chalie_holmes]

Yo Pauldo!!
I will make it a point to try and record Bop Top live. We gig twice every other month sometimes more. I really am humbled by your rig statement! Thanks man!
To answer your question, 6'3 afro-amer and follicley (sp) challenged.

[peoplechipper]

Wow, this thread opened a can of worms....
In my band I'm the technician,singer,writer and bass player with songs written on bass; thankfully I bought an Alembic so those big bass  
riffs sound BADASS!
I think a good bass player with good tone becomes a leader whether he/she means to or not; the rythymn section is key! without it, all is sucking....Tony