Customer Reviews
miles davis's masterpiece - By: for whom the bell tolls, 31 Dec 2007 
miles smiles is an excellent album from the legendary jazz trumpeter miles davis & is one of my favorites. this is his best ones along with kind of blue, b#$ches brew,in a silent way, & round about midnight. i wish miles davis was alive today then i can see himin concert. he is my favorite artists besides metallica & joe satriani.
Absolutely Beautiful - By: Toby Carr, 04 Nov 2006 I'm a massive Miles fan & i think this ranks right up there with his best albums. Every member of this hugely important quintet plays there ass off on this album creating music which shows how free & abstract this style of jazz can get while still being immediately & viscerally attractive.
Buy this album!.
My favourite 60's Miles Album - By: MR J. A Clemas, 08 Mar 2002 In 1967 Miles Davis recorded what was to be the last album before venturing into his electric period. Soon he would be using the Fender Rhodes & the Fender Bass, so it could be seen as his last truly acoustic album. Many jazz purists see Miles Smiles as his last true jazz album because of the above. However beneath the superficial details, it can also be seen as rhythmically one of the trumpeters most explorative works. One has only to listen to Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams & Ron Carter work on the multi-tempo track Footprints to hear this. There are so many subtle rhythmical implications within this piece that it leaves me feeling this was my favourite Miles rhythm section, as much as I love Miles fifties Columbia band. Being a rhythm section player myself, I can constantly find enjoyment & inspiration within this track alone.
Miles himself plays out of his skin throughout & stretches outin a manner far different than what I have heard previously or since. Whilst never being known as the most technically dazzling of trumpeters, he produces some absolutely mind-boggling solos, which leaves me wondering if some critics sat down & listened to this album instead of panning his technically weaker work with Parker, they might give him more credit than he's been allowed for. Tone wise it's generally conceded that Miles was beautiful & Miles Smiles is no exception. Circle showcases some of his most intimate & pleasant moments.
The writing is mostly Wayne Shorter's. Wayne, one of Jazz's most gifted writers never allows the arrangements to inhibit the soloists. In fact it inspires them to greater heights, his own playing included.
If I was to name my top five jazz albums of the sixties, I would like to think this would bein there. I would certainly say to someone who wasn't into Milesin a big way, like some of my colleaguesin the industry, check it out. There's somethingin this album for everyone, whether it be the advanced rhythmic explorations, Wayne's compositions or Miles stronger, busier lead work.
I hope my review does Miles Smiles justice anyway. Happy listening.
