Big Fun

Big Fun

A collection of material recorded between 1969 and 1972, the period just after <i>Bitches Brew</i>, <I>Big Fun</I> was not issued until 1974. By then, Davis had moved on in other directions, so it became a much-neglected album. The compositions are too scattered to maintain a focus, but there is much to hear within. For example, this was the album that introduced "Ife," a piece recorded during the <i>On the Corner</i> sessions. Built on the simplest of bass vamps and the skimpiest of melodies, it nonetheless was enough to incite Miles's playing. It stayed in his performance book for years, and turned up on other recordings, such as <i>Dark Magus</i>, <i>Agharta</i>, <i>Pangaea</i>, and <i>In Concert</i>. "Go Ahead, John," from the <i>Jack Johnson</i> period in 1970, has a sublimely nasty (and sonically infuriating) guitar solo from John McLaughlin. This digitally remastered edition of <I>Big Fun</I> also contains the bonus tracks "Recollection," "Trevere," "The Little Blue Frog," and "Yaphet" (all of which were also included on the recently issued <i>Complete Bitches Brew Sessions</i>, along with "Great Expectations," "Recollections," "Orange Lady," and "Lonely Fire"). <I>--John F. Szwed</I>