Recorded 1969. Released 1970
To pull off a significant change in music, one must first be naturally gifted. BARRY MILES is. One must be well trained. He is, and finally, one must have a personal discipline so severe that the shape of things to come is never corrupted by the creator's vanity or impulse to show off. This BARRY MILES has, I think, at the level of genius.
REX REED
(Stereo Review, 1969)
Words from TERRY SILVERLIGHT:
The above Rex Reed quote was written in reference to Barry Miles's album, BARRY MILES, recorded in 1969, released in 1970 (see photo below of record jacket). Below the photo, notice the text from the album jacket that refers to Barry's word "Syncretic", which describes the essence of "fusion" music, a word he invented before the term "Fusion Music" existed. After being an active figure in the jazz community for a decade and a half before the 1971 release of WHITE HEAT, Barry released an album in 1966 called BARRY MILES PRESENTS HIS SYNCRETIC COMPOSITIONS (see jacket and text below) which showcases the concept he had been developing throughout those years. It was a natural progression that led him to the creation of this new music, coming upon it as a leader and pioneer, not a follower. After Barry had already been developing this new music for many years (see MILES OF GENIUS jacket and text below. Album was released in 1961), I had the opportunity to join him as the drummer on the WHITE HEAT album, a release that combined all of his past efforts and set the stage for the "fusion" music that followed. Barry is also one of the first to use electric keyboards in a jazz ensemble.
Composed and arranged by Barry Miles
BARRY MILES, electric & acoustic piano & vibes
PAT MARTINO, guitar
JOHN ABERCROMBIE, guitar
VICTOR GASKIN, Fender and acoustic bass
TERRY SILVERLIGHT, drums
WARREN SMITH, congas
LEW TABACKIN, tenor sax and flute
Liner notes for BARRY MILES album:
The rock world has always had much to thank other musicians for. Rock was not the first popular head music in America . . . Jazz was. Four decades of jazz, growing, evolving, innovating, preceded the 1960's and the phenomena of rock. Many of the attitudes, themes and terminology of today's rock groups descend directly from the jazz world.
Rock itself has grown to the point where today, in 1970, both the musicians and the audiences are tuned into a music that has no definitions, no name. Rock has borrowed and mixed all the traditional forms of music. And jazz is once again moving into a primary position. Because it isn't something we once called jazz . . . it is something new. Barry Miles calls it syncretic music. Compositions that fuse many forms of defined music and indefinable improvisation into a new experience. This is an album of that new experience.
Barry Miles has performed with his quartet at numerous colleges, halls and clubs. He was recently nominated to both the Playboy Jazz Poll and the Downbeat Critics Poll without ever having a nationally released album. This is his first album for Poppy Records, recorded with the performing group and some friends. Get into their heads. In an age of dying institutions, we need the new, alive music of Barry Miles.
Composed and arranged by Barry Miles
BARRY MILES, piano, RMI electric piano
JACK WILKINS, guitar
JOE CORSELLO, drums
ROD KING, bass
RAY BARETTO, conga
LEW SOLOFF, trumpet
LOU DELGATO, woodwinds
JOEL KAY, woodwinds
Liner notes for BARRY MILES PRESENTS HIS SYNCRETIC COMPOSITIONS album:
This album of "SYNCRETIC" music is perhaps the first example of a new type of modern American improvisational music that draws upon the finest forms of classical composition and jazz creativity.
Each piece is a complete entity composing a work of perfect form, yet full of freedom, for the improvising instrumentalist to perform at his highest creative level and yet not stray from the good taste that is necessary to make an artistic effort of value.
From the first note to the last of every composition, there is a real relationship with every preceding note, and if analyzed by the musicologist, each piece would prove to be a meaningful and valid serious work.
While there is no anarchy the improviser will, within the restrictions of legitimate musical values, be left to his own technical and intuitive talents to produce the living extemporaneity of the moment.
We hope that the listener, critic, layman and musician will listen carefully to the music with these things in mind and will enjoy it as the art it is and not be looking for entertainment values as commonly accepted but in the light of an intellectual and cultural effort that envelops its audience and makes this audience an integral part of this musical experience itself, leaving out the attempt to evaluate it by the other so-called jazz or classical standards---for this is NEW!
Composed and arranged by Barry Miles
BARRY MILES-----------------piano
ROBIN KENYATTA----------alto sax
WALTER BOOKER-----------bass
LEW SOLOFF------------------trumpet
DON PERULLO---------------drums
Liner notes for "MILES OF GENIUS" by WOODY HERMAN:
It is not normally my function to write liner notes. As you probably know, my life' activity has been devoted to playing my instrument, surrounding myself with the finest musicians available and conducting my herd. Through the years, I have had the good fortune to have sent many great artists from my bands onto stardom of their own, and that has always given me a great satisfaction. When I was asked to write these notes, however, I was really happy to do so, for in my own small way I feel that I am at least partly responsible for the discovery of perhaps the most unusual artist I've come across.
When Barry Miles was since years old, he was added to a concert that the Herman Herd was performing at Linden, N.J., mainly as a "gimmick" attraction and as a favor to some local residents. However, after hearing him play vibes, piano, and drums (he knocked me out with his conception and his time on fours, etc.), though embryonic in his technique and fluency, I recognized that here was jazzdom's true child prodigy --- and to this day, I know of no other that can approach the talent I saw in him.
My confidence in him was not in vain, for as I directed him from one milestone to another, he worked and worked hard at improving and developing through twenty major television shows; being the youngest member of the AF of M; a concert at Town Hall, N.Y. with his own adult group; to the point where he is now leading his own group on this album.
The men on this album are great musicians, but Barry Miles is a genius and now only five years after I first heard him, he is playing at least on a level equal to the greatest drummers in the business. Listen for yourself!
Barry Miles wrote all the tunes on this album. Their originality, maturity and tastefulness will scare any jazz listener and a few classical listeners, too.
In speaking to me, many times, Barry has said, in discussing and criticizing his own playing and writing; "Age has nothing to do with talent. You either play well or you don't, whether you're one or one hundred years old." So Barry proves there is no "gimmick" here, for he plays GOOD.
I hope the critics, in reviewing this record, forget that Barry is only fourteen, and aren't wont to prejudge and say, "well it really can't be as good as it sounds, after all he's only a kid". When they listen to and enjoy this album, as I know they and the public will, I hope they say, "Here is a great artist writing some excellent things and playing fantastic drums". For if they are broad enough to report in such a manner, they will be doing America's great art form, improvisational music, a great service. For I firmly believe the future of this art form lies in the hands of such talents as Barry Miles.
In closing, let me say that it is to the credit of Aubrey Mayhew and Doris Parker of the Charlie Parker Record Co. for investing their confidence in this great talent, America's Jazz Future.
"Barry is a phenomenon that occurs once in a lifetime"-------------------Leonard Feather----world renowned critic---Downbeat
"Barry is a surprisingly capable artist"----------------------------------------John S. Wilson---N.Y. Times
"Barry is a talented swinger"-----------------------------------------------------John Mehegan---N.Y. Herald Tribune
"Barry is the greatest"--------------------------------------------------------------Woody Herman
"Barry is a unique artist"----------------------------------------------------------King Features Syndicate
"Barry----drum whiz Jazzes with vibes, piano too"--------------------------N.Y. Sunday News---Coloroto Magazine
"Barry is great"-----------------------------------------------------------------------Skitch Henderson
"Barry is too much"------------------------------------------------------------------William B. Williams
"Barry is jazzdoms great prodigy"-----------------------------------------------Art Ford
"Barry drew enthusiastic raves"--------------------------------------------------TV Magazine
"Barry is a gasser"-------------------------------------------------------------------Don Elliot
"Barry is a crazy little musician"-------------------------------------------------Don Lamond
"Barry provided me with one of my greatest thrills in music--------------Chubby Jackson
"Barry gassed me"-------------------------------------------------------------------Jazzbo Collins
"Barry sounds wonderful"---------------------------------------------------------Mousie Alexander
"Barry is something else"----------------------------------------------------------Steve Condos
"Barry kills me"----------------------------------------------------------------------Dick Van Dyke
"Barry sounds real great"---------------------------------------------------------Chet Baker
"Barry is a natural swinger"------------------------------------------------------Roy Eldridge
"Barry is not just a child prodigy"-----------------------------------------------Ran Blake---director Bard Jazz Program
"Barry's a talented boy---the beat of a generation"--------------------------Harold Baker---Newark Star Ledger
Composed and arranged by Barry Miles
DUKE JORDAN---------------piano
AL HALL-----------------------bass
BOB MILLER-----------------sax
JOHN GLAZEL---------------trumpet
GEORGE CLARKE----------tenor
