After a period in his life when drugs, sex and alcohol had harshly pushed music into the background, Miles Davis made a comeback in the early 1980s. The albums Star People (1983) and You're Under Arrest (1985) are characterized by their fusion sound, with an important role for electric (bass) guitar and digital synthesizer sounds. Davis' search for this form can be heard on That's What Happened,
… volume seven from the Bootleg Series of unreleased material. The three CDs cover unheard studio sessions in preparation for previously mentioned albums, plus a live recording of a 1983 Montreal concert. John Scofield, Marcus Miller and Darryl Jones (who has now spent 30 years as bassist of The Rolling Stones) are prominent members of Davis' band and can also be heard on this record. Certainly not all experiments in funk, pop and new techniques work equally well. Therefore, this period of his career certainly may not appeal to all Davis fans. But if this release provides something, it is a glimpse into the creative restlessness of the trumpeter. And precisely that is what made Davis so exceptional. (JV)more
