Limbo

Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Miles Davis (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Tony Williams (drums). From the album Sorcerer (1967).

After coming back to New York, Davis recomposed his quintet with Coltrane, who had been rehabilitated from his addiction, and added the alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, turning the group into a sextet. In 1958 they recorded for Columbia Records Milestones, which consists of a series of fast and medium tempo pieces with enormous energy, and in which Davis began to introduce modal jazz. He then substituted Jones for Jimmy Cobb and Garland for Bill Evans, who could play modal jazz.

Evans toured with the group, but then left, so Davis hired Winton Kelly with his swinging style. In that same year, Miles Davis recorded again with Gil Evans an album titled Porgy and Bess with an orchestra based on George Gerswin’s 1935 opera. Evans wrote orchestral passages in the form of transitions, composing a long musical work. The album was highly praised by critics being recognized as the best collaboration between them.

The introduction is made by Hancock and Carter, and then the rest of the group joins in to expose the theme, which goes at medium tempo and easy to remember. Next comes Davis with a sharp and playful solo that performs in an expressive and inspired way. Then the band plays the theme again and Shorter presents an eccentric speech trying to get out of the established rules while Carter plays notes in a randomly and Williams pushes the music forward. Afterwards, they turn the volume down so that Hancock exposes a melodic line marking well the notes and creating an intimate and reserved atmosphere. Finally, the group re-exposes the theme and the rhythm section ends the musical piece.