Tony Williams: Live From 1971 & 1972
Tony Williams was the original headbanger birthed out of the jazz idiom. Less interested in the Sly Stone, Jimmy Hendrix, and James Brown aesthetic that Miles Davis was heading into at the time (circa 1969), Williams left the Second Great Quintet to put together a group of his own more aligned with his British rock contemporaries of The Who and Cream for instance. Those were the influences that birthed the Tony Williams Lifetime. Rounding out Lifetime — or the “organ trio on steroids” as Lenny White describes it — were John McLaughlin on electric guitar and Larry Young on organ, both of whom were equally as innovative with their own instruments and compositions as Williams was with the drums (though this lineup would change numerous times over the years).
Lenny White’s Early Definitive Recordings: Bitches Brew & Red Clay
Few drummers so strongly represent a time in music more so than New York City native Lenny White. Coming out of Jamaica, Queens by 18, the left-handed drummer was picked up by serial bandleader and educator Jackie McLean with whom he gained his initial chops. Within two years White had already got the call to record the formative Miles Davis album Bitches Brew — alongside fellow drummer Jack DeJohnette — a record that would go on to become a staple of the jazz canon and ultimately jumpstart White’s fusion of jazz and rock, a style that he would come to help define.
Best 2011 Features: 40 Years of Bitches Brew
Why did we choose Bitches Brew for the first “Issue?” When one of our brethrens at Revive was asked to sit on the panel at last year’s CMJ Music Marathon Week by the Miles Davis Estate to talk about the intersections between jazz and hip-hop and how it relates to Bitches Brew, we jumped out of our seats and said “yes, yes!” At last there was a camp, the Miles Davis Estate, that like ours, valued progressive jazz music beyond the confines of strict genre assignments. We respected what the estate was doing, connecting with young cats in different areas of popular culture, and outside of academic jazz circles, to revitalize the legacy of Miles Davis—and not just Miles Davis—but the eras of music that can be connected directly back to his influence.
Betty Davis: Funk Goddess
There would be no Prince, Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis (in the 1970’s), or Lil Kim, if it weren’t for Betty Davis and her explosive, courageous, erotic, gender bending, bluesy, and funky music. Betty’s voice purrs, growls, and scratches through her deliciously written lyrics. A blues woman to the bone, Betty took her southern roots, and mixed them with raw funk, soul, and psychedelic rock. A woman well ahead of her time, she pushed boundaries with her avant-garde fashion sense, amazing afro, and provocative lyrics.
Final Miles Davis Giveaway
We have MORE giveaways! We are giving away everything left in our inventory. We have numerous Bitches Brew and Miles Box Sets available. All you have to do is email info@revivalistmusic.com with your favorite part of the Bitches Brew month and we will keep picking random winners until we have nothing left to giveaway. It’s that easy, just email us your favorite story or stories of this month and you could be a winner!
Wednesday’s Miles Davis Giveaway
Our whole staff weighed in on what the Bitches Brew or today is and now it’s your turn!
Send a 200-300 word opinion on what the Bitches Brew of today is the best ones will win a slew of prizes…
Bitches Brew: 40 Years of Inspiration
Looking back on the last forty years since the release of Bitches Brew, we have seen numerous generations of new musicians and artists coming up and making their individual, indelible marks on the world. Yet, certain things have that special spark, lingering around through the changes that time brings, altering the course of new artistry and serving as a guiding force for young artists. Bitches Brew continues to last the test of time guiding the likes of Nas, Wayne Coyne, Don Cheadle, Bill Cosby, and many more. Check out their take on how the album affected them accompanied by special edition Bitches Brew 40th Anniversary photos.
Tuesday’s Miles Davis Giveaway
Today we here at the Revivalist have one question for you. The third (3rd) person who emails info@revivalistmusic.com will win our last Limited Edition Dogfish Head Bitches Brew Ale !
Joe Zawinul: The Electric Piano and Popular Jazz
It’s important to gain an understanding about the role of the electric piano and how it made its way into the jazz world in the 1960s. Although Ray Charles and Sun Ra both recorded on electric pianos in the 1950s, Zawinul was one of the first to bring the instrument to the forefront of popular music.
New Contest: Win Miles Davis/Bitches Brew Stuff!
In this Friday’s edition of the Miles Davis giveaway, we have 4 questions for you. Find the answers and win limited edition Miles Davis memorabilia that you won’t find anywhere else. All of the prizes are must haves for any Miles Davis fan. Good luck!
Friday’s Contest! Win Miles Davis/Bitches Brew Stuff!
“Today’s Bitches Brew giveaway is Bitches Brew ale, Miles Davis trumpet mouth pieces , and Rolling Stone cover signed by photographer framed!. To enter for a chance to win, go on Twitter and tell us what Miles means to you within the character confines. You MUST tag @REVIVEmusic in your post or else it won’t get judged. Be creative and have fun with it. Pictures are allowed. Happy tweeting!”
Exclusive Never Been Released Live Recording of “Directions” from Bitches Brew – 1970
To kick off this month’s issue and to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Bitches Brew, it is with our absolute honor at The Revivalist to present publically to the world the never before released live recording of “Directions,” from Bitches Brew Live, the Joe Zawinul composition performed at the Isle of Wright in 1970.
The Revivalist Celebrates 40 Years of Bitches Brew as our First Monthly Issue
Bitches Brew signifies a rebellious time in music. It acts as a microcosm of the greater story of our country in 1969 (when the album was recorded). The turbulent layering of percussions, Mati Klarwein’s dark and alluring album cover with the Afro-centric and numinous elements, one of the first jazz recordings to heavily utilize the electric guitar, the almost obsessively meticulous tape editing of Teo Marcero, has maintained in our collective music consciousness an almost immortalized image of Davis as the mad scientist who orchestrated a body of work that would change—not just jazz—but music forever.
Miles Davis Bitches Brew
It’s rare for an artist to constantly be at the forefront of their respective craft, but trumpeter Miles Davis always found a way to push the envelope. Between 1969 and 1970, Miles Davis single-handedly changed the face of jazz music with a series of highly electric and experimental albums. Beginning with 1969’s In a Silent Way, Davis began to incorporate a wealth of other influences into his music from the Sly and the Family Stone, to James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and even the Grateful Dead.
