Miles Davis

• 180-GRAM 33RPM LP

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet — saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams — gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop.

Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz’s avant-garde.

This is exploratory music, whether it’s rushing by in a flurry of notes or elegantly reclining in Hancock’s calm yet complex chords. The compositions are brilliantly structured as well, encouraging such free-form exploration with their elliptical yet memorable themes. This quintet may have cut more adventurous records, but ESP remains one of their very best albums.

PERSONNEL:

• Miles Davis - (trumpet)
• Wayne Shorter - (tenor sax)
• Tony Williams - (drums)
• Ronadl Carter - (bass)
• Herb Hancock - (piano)

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. E.S.P.
• A2. Eighty-One
• A3. Little One
• A4. R.J.

• SIDE B
• B1. Agitation
• B2. Iris
• B3. Mood