Aura (Miles Davis album)
Encyclopedia
Aura is a concept album
by Miles Davis
, produced by Palle Mikkelborg
, released in 1989. All compositions and arrangements are by Danish composer/trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, who created the suite in tribute to Miles Davis when Davis received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize
in December 1984, the year Decoy
was released.
, and Schoenberg hexachord "EsCHBEG", and the chart at Musical notes#Accidentals). It is introduced at the beginning over a sustained chord of these same notes. The following 9 movements of the suite represent the colours Mikkelborg sees in Miles's aura.
The music is scored for an extended jazz big band, and the core of the band is formed by the Danish Radio's Big Band, featuring Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
, Thomas Clausen and Marilyn Mazur
. Notable international guests such as John McLaughlin
and Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn are featured during the recordings. They took place in Copenhagen in 1985 at Davis' own initiative, as he had been very honored and satisfied with the suite. It was the first time Miles Davis recorded with a big band for over 20 years. Aura, however, is not a conventional big band jazz album. The music is perhaps best categorized as fusion jazz with a strong flavor of modern classical music, as many of the orchestral passages reveal Mikkelborg's inspiration from composers like Olivier Messiaen
and Charles Ives
.
Although the album was recorded at Easy Sound Studios in Copenhagen in 1985, contractual issues delayed its release until 1989. The album won a Grammy Award in 1990
for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance
.
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, produced by Palle Mikkelborg
Palle Mikkelborg
Palle Mikkelborg , is a Danish jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and record producer. He started playing professionally in 1960, and has since been a dominant figure on the Danish and international progressive jazz scene...
, released in 1989. All compositions and arrangements are by Danish composer/trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, who created the suite in tribute to Miles Davis when Davis received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize
Léonie Sonning Music Prize
The Léonie Sonning Music Prize, or Sonning Award, which is recognized as Denmark's highest musical honor, is given annually to an international composer or musician. It was first awarded in 1959 to composer Igor Stravinsky...
in December 1984, the year Decoy
Decoy (album)
Decoy is a 1984 album by jazz musician Miles Davis, recorded in 1983.It features keyboardist Robert Irving III and guitarist John Scofield contributing most of the compositions and the other solos...
was released.
Background
The main theme consists of 10 notes, yielded by the letters "M-I-L-E-S-D-A-V-I-S" (see BACH motifBACH motif
In music, the BACH motif is the motif, a succession of notes important or characteristic to a piece, B flat, A, C, B natural. In German musical nomenclature, in which the note B natural is written as H and the B flat as B, it forms Johann Sebastian Bach's family name...
, and Schoenberg hexachord "EsCHBEG", and the chart at Musical notes#Accidentals). It is introduced at the beginning over a sustained chord of these same notes. The following 9 movements of the suite represent the colours Mikkelborg sees in Miles's aura.
The music is scored for an extended jazz big band, and the core of the band is formed by the Danish Radio's Big Band, featuring Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
- Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 * Kirk in Copenhagen 1963 * Ben Webster in Denmark 1965-1971 Live at Danish Radio studios, Jazzhus Montmartre and Odd Fellow Palæet - Universal Music Denmark*One Flight Up 1964 *Sunday Walk 1969 - Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 (with...
, Thomas Clausen and Marilyn Mazur
Marilyn Mazur
Marilyn Mazur is a percussionist, drummer, composer, vocalist, pianist, dancer and bandleader. She was born in New York and has lived in Denmark from age six. She is of Polish and African-American descent. Since 1975, she has worked as a percussionist with various groups, among them Six Winds with...
. Notable international guests such as John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
and Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn are featured during the recordings. They took place in Copenhagen in 1985 at Davis' own initiative, as he had been very honored and satisfied with the suite. It was the first time Miles Davis recorded with a big band for over 20 years. Aura, however, is not a conventional big band jazz album. The music is perhaps best categorized as fusion jazz with a strong flavor of modern classical music, as many of the orchestral passages reveal Mikkelborg's inspiration from composers like Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
and Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
.
Although the album was recorded at Easy Sound Studios in Copenhagen in 1985, contractual issues delayed its release until 1989. The album won a Grammy Award in 1990
Grammy Awards of 1990
The 32nd Grammy Awards were held in 1990. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-General:*Record of the Year**Arif Mardin & Bette Midler for "Wind Beneath My Wings"*Album of the Year...
for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo has been awarded since 1959. Before 1979 the award title did not specify instrumental performances and was presented for instrumental or vocal performances...
.
Track listing
All tracks composed and arranged by Palle Mikkelborg- "Intro" – 4:48
- "White" – 6:07
- "Yellow" – 6:55
- "Orange" – 8:41
- "Red" – 6:05
- "Green" – 8:13
- "Blue" – 6:36
- "Electric Red" – 4:19
- "Indigo" – 6:06
- "Violet" – 9:04
Personnel
- Trumpet: Miles Davis
- Trumpets and flugelhorns: Benny Rosenfeld, Idrees SuliemanIdrees SuliemanIdrees Sulieman was a bop and hard bop trumpeter. He studied at Boston Conservatory, and gained early experience playing with the Carolina Cotton Pickers and the wartime Earl Hines Orchestra...
, Jens WintherJens WintherJens Winther was a Danish jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader. He composed for and played in a long line of European big bands and other orchestras. His work includes compositions for symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and choirs...
, Palle Bolvig, Perry Knudsen - Trombones: Jens Engel, Ture Larsen, Vincent Nilsson
- Bass trombones: Ole Kurt Jensen, Axel Windfel
- Tuba: Axel Windfel
- Reeds, flute: Jesper ThiloJesper ThiloJesper Thilo is a Danish jazz musician, mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period...
, Per Carsten, Uffe Karskov, Bent JædigBent Jædig- Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message *Danish Jazzman *Egon Denu & Bent Jædig *Sizzlin’ Compilations*From Jædig's Galaxy - Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message (Danish Debut, 1960)*Danish Jazzman (Debut, 1967)*Egon Denu...
, Flemming Madsen - Saxophones and woodwinds: Bent JædigBent Jædig- Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message *Danish Jazzman *Egon Denu & Bent Jædig *Sizzlin’ Compilations*From Jædig's Galaxy - Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message (Danish Debut, 1960)*Danish Jazzman (Debut, 1967)*Egon Denu...
, Flemming Madsen, Jesper ThiloJesper ThiloJesper Thilo is a Danish jazz musician, mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period...
, Per Carsten, Uffe Karskov - Keyboards: Kenneth Knudsen, Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen
- Guitars: Bjarne Roupé, John McLaughlinJohn McLaughlin (musician)John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
- Bass: Niels-Henning Ørsted PedersenNiels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen- Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 * Kirk in Copenhagen 1963 * Ben Webster in Denmark 1965-1971 Live at Danish Radio studios, Jazzhus Montmartre and Odd Fellow Palæet - Universal Music Denmark*One Flight Up 1964 *Sunday Walk 1969 - Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 (with...
- Fender bass and fretless bass: Bo StiefBo StiefBo Stief is a Danish jazz and rock bassist, composer, and arranger born in Copenhagen.He has worked or recorded with Don Cherry, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Jackie McLean, George Russell, Kenny Drew and Ben Webster, among many other prominent jazz...
- Drums: Vincent Wilburn jr., Lennart Gruvstedt
- Electronic drums: Vince Wilburn
- Percussion: Ethan Weisgaard, Marilyn Mazur
- Harp: Lillian Thornquist
- Oboe and English horn: Niels EjeNiels EjeNiels Eje is a Danish composer and oboist.Niels Eje was educated at the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Denmark 1974 to 1979...
- Vocals: Eva Hess-Thaysen
- Additional trumpet and flugelhorn: Palle Mikkelborg
Production
- Producer: Palle Mikkelborg
- Engineers: Henrik Lund, Niels Erik Land
-
- Art Direction: Stacy Drummond
- Photography: Gilles Larrain
External links
- ? (2011). "Miles Davis: Aura", MilesDavis.com.