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121 of 122 found the following review helpful:
 Ssssssshhhhh....Sep 17, 2002
By spiral_mind
He was sometimes called "the prince of darkness" for the nocturnal bent of much of his music, but Miles Davis and his crew gave a whole new meaning to 'late-night jazz' with In a Silent Way. This is another soundtrack for those quiet hours between midnight and dawn, but with a more wired and trippy bent than ever before. Instead of a muted piano, it features a blending of three soft electronic keyboards. An up-and-coming unknown at the time (some obscure guy named John McLaughlin) creeps in with an electric guitar; not with the wild Hendrixian solos that had electrified the rock world at the time, but with a wonderfully understated tone that only enhances the low-key quality of the whole record. The entire thing is an exercise in restraint and simplicity, not the sizzling group chemistry that would mark Miles's onstage explorations in the near future.If there is such a thing as ambient jazz, it begins here. "Shh/Peaceful" embodies its title; the keyboards form a simple ethereal pattern, the simple cymbal and hi-hat scatter a little treble on top of it, and Miles brings everything together with his perfectly sweet touch on the horn. It's hypnotic, it's soothing, it's mostly peaceful and just a little restless. The sound doesn't become completely calming until we come to "In a Silent Way" itself, an elusive melody that refuses to stick in your head for a long time. It's heavenly and yet elusive.. like remembering a dream right when you wake up. Suddenly "It's About That Time" kicks in with a semi-startling jump and bops around a beautifully hummable bass line. We hear some actual drums for the first time, things kick into a semi-rocking but easy groove for a while, and then we eventually drift right back off into a dreamy repetition of the title theme. It's an album of soft tones and peaceful textures, an almost-surreal work that's timeless in its easy simplicity. There's no point in mincing more words - this album weaves its own spell through being heard, and describing it in words can only hint at what the listening experience is like. The Complete Sessions box is also a worthwhile find for those already infatuated with this album's charms, but that's for a different review. The uninitiated can start right here.
67 of 72 found the following review helpful:
so amazingSep 23, 2000
By Sean M. Kelly
I am not ashamed to say this- "In a Silent Way" has always been my favorite Miles Davis cd, bar none. For me, it has never been an issue. No other lp of his comes close. I've never been able to completely pin down why that is, but it all starts with the MOOD. There is such a relaxed, ethereal feel to this lp that none of his others has. The mixing and mastering was brilliantly done on this lp. The lp is almost an ambient (as Brian Eno would describe ambient- soft, background music) experience at points, and the deliberate softer mixing of this lp causes that to happen. It creates a relaxed, almost stoned feel to the lp (which could also be part of the mood of the lp- I'm sure many of the players were dope smokers). "In a Silent Way/It's About That Time" is for me the most beautiful piece of music Miles ever played. An early example of ambient music, the keyboards of Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock form the pattern. Tony Williams plays very simple drums, and John McLaughlin adds liquid guitar solos that neither dominate, or fall under,the mix. The result is several minutes of pure trance before the soloists- Shorter,then Miles, add to the spacial textures laid out. As would be more common in Miles' 70's works, the buildup to orgasmic climax is astounding, as Miles goes off on his tangent while Williams, Corea, and bassist Dave Holland go for the ride..then, as quickly as it starts, it ends, and the theme that opened the track re-enters and closes it. Breathtaking. "Shhh/Peaceful" foreshadows the 70's funk fusion jazz that Corea, Hancock, and Shorter would all experiment with in their respective fusion groups. Great bass by Holland and suprelative drumming by Williams sets up the foundation for the groove, which allows Miles, Shorter, Hancock, and McLaughlin to experiment with tempos, forms of playing, and moods. The results are astounding. And, as with "in a Silent way," the opening theme is again repeated for emphasis and for a trance like feel. The group theme is becoming prevalent in Miles' muisc by this time, and its those grooves created by the rhythn section that carries this lp and allows Miles and Shorter to weave their magic. Without question on of the greatest lps ever made, "In a Silent Way" is new and fresh yet still very familiar and safe, as well. The gem of all gems.
35 of 37 found the following review helpful:
Listen . . .Jul 06, 1999
This is an album of haunting and ethereal beauty - rich, layered, intricate aural landscapes that cast a deep spell no matter how many times you listen. As another reviewer here said, nothing else is quite like this. And like all true great works of art, it's not easy to describe. Sure there are elements of other music - trippy jamming; ambient trance; funky fusion; traditional improvisational jazz - but the brilliant and soulful solos by John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, and of course Miles combine with the grooves laid down by Dave Holland and Tony Williams to make music that transcends categories. There is only one type of sound I can think of that comes close to this album. It's the sound you encounter sometimes when you're hiking through the woods, away from civilization and human noise, when your ear is suddenly caught by the interplay of the wind through the trees, animals rustling in the grass, flies buzzing, birds chirping, even your own breathing and footsteps, and everything sounds perfect, like a symphony conducted by some unseen presence. "In a Silent Way" captures that magic and freedom and freshness. It's a gift to the world that any true fan of music - any and all kinds of music - should own. Enough words. Buy this, close your eyes, open your ears and your mind, and listen. Just listen . . . . .
30 of 32 found the following review helpful:
The great mystery of silenceOct 09, 2004
By G B
This isn't the "first fusion album". This wasn't Miles Davis's first recording with electric keyboards or, for that matter, the electric guitar. He'd been experimenting with rock, soul and pop rhythms for over a year. And yet In a Silent Way really is a first. It's the first Davis album in a new, undefined style -- informed heavily by jazz, but already heading somewhere else.
It's also the last Tony Williams appearance on a Davis album. Supposedly Williams, who was starting Lifetime with organist Larry Young and guitarist John McLaughlin, was angry and paranoid at the thought of Miles poaching his star guitarist. So for most of the CD, he plays a very repetitive rhythm -- hi hat on the first half, snare on the second - except for one brief moment, which I'll get back to shortly.
McLaughlin isn't the firebrand of the Mahavishnu Orchestra or Jack Johnson; his playing is very circumspect and cautious, blending in very well with the triple-keyboard stew of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Joe Zawinul. Dave Holland grooves along with those funky basslines he's so good at producing. It's a testament to these great musicians that they constantly manage to keep things interesting in a fairly repetitive setting and never get in each other's way. Aside from a few collective improvisations by the rhythm section, the only soloists on this CD are Miles, Wayne Shorter (playing lovely, snaking lines on the soprano), and John McLaughlin.
The music, like many of the recordings Miles would make over the next six years, consists of lengthy medleys over funky vamps. In each, the first five minutes are repeated via splicing at the end. That kind of repetition would be irritating in other contexts, but here it's extremely effective. "Shhh/Peaceful" is one of those pieces doesn't really go anywhere but offering a fun ride as it motors along; it can work as background, and yet teems with detail for the attentive listener. "In a Silent Way", Miles's striking interpretation of Zawinul's tune, is one of the most striking pieces of music in jazz history; first John McLaughlin tentatively stating the theme, next Wayne coming in on soprano, and finally Miles stepping in. Beautiful. Then the lightly funky groove of "It's About That Time" comes in. It slowly rises in intensity during John and Wayne's solo turns, setting up Miles for some of the best (and seemingly effortless) playing of his career. He paces the notes perfectly, and then when Tony Williams finally cuts loose... well, if you've heard it, you know it's one of the most exhilirating things ever set to tape. The repeat of the title track brings the album to a perfect close -- a return to motionless silence.
A lot of people associate Miles's electric music with lengthy, amelodic jams. And while some of it really is like that, those wary of albums like Bitches Brew and Pangaea might still like the subtle, melodic beauty of In a Silent Way. In fact, I think that this album contains the seeds to unlocking the mystery of those wonderful but difficult recordings. Try it out -- I think you'll like it.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
40 Years Later, this music still sounds ahead of its timeSep 19, 2008
By Michael Morales
Most musicians go their entire careers without ever coming up with one truly original idea.
Miles Davis was the opposite, a man who never allowed himself, or his music, to get too comfortable, to get stagnant.
Sometimes the new directions he went were exciting and enjoyable to listen to, sometimes they weren't but he always pushed the envelope.
This beautiful album stands as one of the great triumphs of his life.
This is music that is as complex as any that he ever created but still is accessible and pleasing to the ear. As a result, it is music that you can listen to in any situation and enjoy.
It rewards close listening, repeated listenings yet still can function as very enjoyable background music for reading, drawing, studying etc.
The first thing you will notice about this album is the very pleasing sound of the rhythm sections comprised of Three Keyboardists, Guitar and Tony Williams fine cymbal work.
These new sounds, unlike any other in jazz up to that point, creates a dreamy, surreal soundscape which draws you in and over which the soloists can create their beautiful statements.
The two tracks both do a great job of building tension and mood. My favorite part of the album is during the track It's About That Time in which a two bar bass line groove is used to build energy throughout the guitar and soprano sax solos until Miles solo where the drummer Tony Williams goes completely nuts for a few measures. After the chill out groove of the prior music it really is a satisfying and beautiful moment.
This music is some of the most treasured I own.
I've listened to it sober, I've listened to it stoned. I've listened to it in headphones (often!) and on high end sound systems. I've listened to it laying in bed at night or reading the newspaper during the day.
Whatever the situation , it always puts me where I need to be.
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