For jazz enthusiasts, CD has Miles of good material

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Nov. 28, 2003 | 8:29 a.m.

When Miles Davis died in 1991 at age 65, the jazz giant left behind a vast legacy as both a dynamic trumpet player and a stylistically daring composer.

It's amazing, then, that his greatest asset may have been his ability to recognize, and then harness, other musicians' talents.

That was never more evident than during the mid-to-late 1960s, when Davis assembled the group now referred to as his "second classic quintet."

Consisting of bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, drummer Tony Williams and Davis, the ensemble pushed the jazz genre in bold directions on a series of landmark albums.

Davis' confidence in his four young proteges was never more evident than on 1968's "Nefertiti." On that record, the bandleader eschewed all songwriting duties, instead handing them over to Shorter, Hancock and Williams.

Shorter's three contributions -- the title track, "Fall" and "Pinocchio" -- are magnificent. On each, the five musicians flip-flop the traditional roles of their instruments, with Shorter and Davis essentially providing rhythms while their three mates take the lead.

For example, on "Nefertiti," Davis and Shorter repeat a single theme throughout the nearly 8-minute track, as Carter, Hancock and Williams alter their tempo and dynamics. The result is both calmly soothing to the casual ear and fiercely intense to those listening intently to what's happening.

Hancock's two cuts, "Madness" and "Riot," are more upbeat, the latter a tribute to the piano legend's unique sense of musical adventure.

Williams' piece, "Hand Jive," features a parade of long solos by Davis, Shorter and Hancock, set over ferocious drum work by the then-22-year-old whiz.

Columbia's 1998 remaster features four additional tracks, alternate takes on three of the album's songs. The first alternate version of "Hand Jive" is particularly revelatory, as Shorter shifts from the hard-bopping style of the master cut to a slightly warmer approach more familiar to his fans.

If you already own "Kind of Blue" but aren't sure if you're ready for "Bitches Brew," "Nefertiti" may be the ideal intermediate step. If it tickles your fancy, check out some of the other discs recorded by Davis' second great quintet: "E.S.P.," "Miles Smiles" and "Sorcerer."

Artist: Miles Davis.

Title: "Nefertiti."

Year of release: 1968 (reissued 1998, Columbia Records).

Tracklisting: "Nefertiti," "Fall," "Hand Jive," "Madness," "Riot," "Pinocchio," "Hand Jive" (first alternate take), "Hand Jive" (second alternate take), "Madness" (alternate take), "Pinocchio" (alternate take).