Search - Miles Davis :: Decoy

Eighties jazz - Miles Style

kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 02/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD was released in 1984. The sound quality is very good. Much better than many of the CD's released in the mid eighties. It is 39 minutes long, which is fairly short by Miles Davis's standards. His LP's used be 25 minutes to 30 minutes a side. The double album, Get Up With It was 2 hours long.



This is eighties style jazz, but with a Miles Davis flair to it that makes it better than most jazz released at the time. The eighties were not a very good time for jazz. Sunday Brunch, light jazz was all the rage. People like Spyro Gyra and later Kenny G were popular. Also musicians were folding in New Age jazz (which at the time was about the only thing that was interesting). People like Chick Corea and Bill Cobham went light and pop.



This CD has that distinctive 1980's jazz sound. Code MD sounds like something Chick Corea would have done. There are also twinges of 80's Weather Report.



The band on this CD includes John Scofield on guitar and someone named Robert Irving III on keyboards. They wrote most of the compositions. Also appearing in spots in Branford Marsalis (who now plays with all the jam bands like the Gov't Mule and Widespread Panic).



This CD is more lively and a little more main stream than Davis's earlier work. It is certainly more accessible to the general population than anything Davis has done. But, it isn't bland or white bread like most popular music. If you want Bitches Brew or Sketches of Spain or Doo Wap, this isn't it. This isn't ground breaking. But, it shows that Davis can take on any style and make it better."

Miles Gets It Back STRONG!!!

P. McKenna | Atlanta GA | 02/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Of any of Miles' 1980's period recordings, "Decoy" for my money is one of the best of the batch from a musical/compositional standpoint. And with the likes of drummer Al Foster, guitarist John Scofield and saxmeister Branford Marsalis, how could you go wrong?



The opening title track is particularly strong, conveying the mystery, urgency and intensity that was Miles. "Robot 415" ain't half bad either, even with all the synths still magages to create a strong mood in its brief span. "Code M.D" is somewhat sabotaged by the stiff drum-machine rhythm (live drums would've really made it sparkle) though it does have a very compelling harmonic/melodic shape despite that flaw. "Freaky Deaky" with it's repeating bass line had some potential but falls flat on its face.



The strongest cuts are the last 3, "What It Is" a manic funk track that would've been very much at home in the opening credits of an old Quinn Martin crime drama (all it's missing is the voiceover of one Hank Simms grimly intoning "Tonight's Episode---"), "That's Right" pours on the sloooowww, smoldering blues and things wrap up with "That's What Happened" a tour de force, on which the melody and harmonic structure is interestingly enough, a transcription of a VERY inspired John Scofield guitar solo from the previous "Star People" album (on the track "Speak").



All told,a good solid effort, far more listeniable than most of Miles' 80's efforts."

Not as awful as it has been painted...

finulanu | Here, there, and everywhere | 11/22/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Like You're Under Arrest and Tutu, Decoy flirts heavily with synthesizers. Another thing it has in common with those two releases? None of 'em are all that good. I mean, this isn't a dog's dinner like it's made out to be, but it's not first-class Miles. "Robot 409" sounds like a bad cartoon theme, for god's sake, while both the title track and "Code M.D." are beefed up electronically, seemingly to cover up their lack of any strong melody or instrumental solos. Now, I do think that "Freaky Deaky" makes good use of the electronic stuff - appropriately enough, it sounds freaky. And hey, "What It Is" is about the funkiest thing on this album, plus the squealing, Wayne Shorter-like soprano sax solo sounds nice. Meanwhile, "That's It" does have an amusingly unpredictable groove, making it worth hearing as well. And "What It Is" is stirring, that's what it is. So that makes it the best post-retirement Miles album I've ever heard, not like that's saying much."