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Bring on more of Buddy Miles!!!

Timothy P. Scanlon | Hyattsville, MDUSA | 05/24/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe 25 years ago, I picked up the 2-record set, Buddy Miles Live, and really thrived on it. I went to a record store a couple of years ago to ask on Miles' music availibility. The clerk looked on a microfiche and found that, "There's a Christmas album by him." I somehow couldn't imagine Buddy Miles' band doing "Silent Night." I think that most people think of Buddy Miles as the guy who played on a Hendrix album or two. That he did. But his top-40 realm was limited. So his exposure too was limited. That's too bad. Miles' music is a mix of soul and jazz--if I can call it that. There's some great drum work (Miles is, after all, the drummer) and other great instrumental work. It's got a driving spirit rivaling that of other soul stars, like Otis Redding, with less focus on any one person and more on the whole band. This album is stellar. The only reason I hesitate to give it 5 (or 6!) stars is that I can't find much of the rest of his music on CD. I'll tell you what: if someone releases, say, Buddy Miles Live on CD, I'll up this superb disk to 5 stars!! Listen to it, and enjoy it. And thanks to Amazon.com for having it available!"

A reason for the suits to read these reviews

Eric V. Moye | New York, by way of Dallas | 03/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If they do, they will see that there is a cry out for more of Buddy Miles work to be released. This album is O.K., but more than anything else, it proves the old adage: "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king". This has some of Buddy Miles' fine work. But, it simply whets the appetite for more. I'll bet that close to half the reviews of this album reference the fact that we would like more of his catalogue on disc. The good news: The recording is great. Hearing the opening of "Them Changes" is like hearing from an old friend who has come back from school. Also, the songs are the full length versions we remember from back in the day. It is great to hear them, as is "We Got to Live Together". The only bad news is what is missing. I would pay real money to get a copy of the Them Changes album on CD. While I did like the live version of "Down By the River", there is NOTHING like the studio version from that album. Also missed is "Hearts Delight".Until that CD comes out, this will have to do."

IT'S NICE BUT . . .

Charles | NYC | 06/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, I'm a die-hard Buddy Miles fan and I'm well familiar with his work. With the exception of the song, "TAKE IT OFF HIM, PUT IT ON ME", from the WE GOT TO LIVE TOGETHER album not being included, THE GREATEST HITS CD is a great collection of the stuff he did under the Mercury label. All the cuts are in their original full-length.Still (and this is the reason why I only gave it four stars), it would've been a hundred times better if it was a whole anthology. Great memorable jams from not only Mercury Records but also the stuff he did on Casablanca, the SNEAK ATTACK album on Atlantic; the recent albums (HELL AND BACK, MILES AWAY FROM HOME & TRIBUTE TO JIMI HENDRIX) and, most of all, the three back to back classic albums he did on the Columbia label. All the cuts being in full length just like they were on the GREATEST HITS CD. It doesn't matter how many CD's it would take . . . 3,4;5, whatever, if you're a fan (like I am) you'll buy it.Plus, not only have the full live version of "DOWN BY THE RIVER" but the studio one as well.Now, putting all that together, that would've been great . . . an entire full-length ANTHOLOGY collection!I hope, some how, this gets back to him. Or if he or the record-companies are not interested, at lease; for a limited time, re-issue the old albums (especially the ones on Columbia) in CD format.Charles"