#audioled

[sapphire-heart-tippy]

Hrrrghgh

Okay so something kind of weird but also awesome for me

I don't know why, but Wamuu is the only f/o where I can perfectly replicate his voice in my head without having to try and visualize.... Audiolize?... Whatever– try and force myself to think about it!

I can just hear Wamuu's voice perfectly in my head without thinking about it. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that very easily with Vanilla 😭 or Dio, or any other f/os I've had in the past yadda yadda- (Bel has a version of my voice plus his Sims 4 voice, it's hard to explain but I can perfectly imagine his voice too, BUT he doesn't count here!)

But yeah, this will make writing his dialogue for the threequel way easier 🥹🫶💙💙

[msbug15]

SEEING STARS

D-16/Megatron X Femme! Oc

Staring my lovely tf oc, Indexa!

Warnings: None at the moment!

Chapter 1

"All miners to sector 5!" The speakers repeated for what seemed to be the fifth time.

Rolling her optics, she let out a groan and rolled her shoulder plates, Indexa headed out into the bustling corridors of the mining quarters. The femme carried a fairly large pickaxe over her shoulder, her golden optics making sure she didn't accidentally knick anyone. Again. Silent nods and hushed words were given between her and the other labourers, it was a way of saying 'hello' as they moved as a swarm.

Arriving at the lobby, the worker bee's separated into groups and made their way to the mining shafts.

For all the advanced technology that Cybertron had, you'd think they'd at least spend something on their diligent energon miners, give them an actual up to date elevator shaft and not one that is being eaten alive by mold and could break at any moment.

Cutting away from her thoughts, she heard a chuckle from a bot next to her. "What are you thinking about this time?" Her friend, Arcee, asked with a small smirk. Before the femme could open her derma she was cut off by the bot on the other side of her. "Probably thinking about blowing this slagged place to bits." Her other dear friend, Elita one, grumbled. Indexa let out a chuckle as she turned her healm to the dark pink femme, "Oh, if I was thinking about doing that, you know I'd give you first blow." A small laugh escaped Elita as she gave her friend a glance. "I'll hold you up to that."

Just like clockwork the old shaft came to a screeching stop and everyone came speed walking out. "See you two later!" Indexa yelled with a wave of her hand as she and a few other miners diverted from the rest. "Bye, Dexa!" She heard Arcee yell back, before she with Elita went further into the mines.

"Aight' every bot 'ere?" Her senior and current leader of her designated mining team, Trout, shouted from a nearby ladder leading to the ricaty catwalks above as she made her way to the strong metal doors. A few 'yeps' were heard from the bots around her. "Good! Now let's get this show on the road!" He barked, quickly climbing up the leader that somehow held the old mech's weight and made his way to the datapad that stood tall upon the metal. Placing his servo on it, the sirens above the doors started to blair.

"Door is opening! Door is opening!" The speakers warned in a chant. "Wow it's like a couldn't even tell," The navy blue femme mumbled, flatly. Snickering quickly met her audiols. Turning her healm, her optics were met with a grey mech, a good friend of her's. D-16. "Well, if it isn't my favourite mech." She greeted with a sly grin. "Oh, I should hope I'm your favourite," He responded, wrapping a servo around her shoulder plate. Pulling her close. "I'm the only mech that you like in that slag whole." Indexa let out a sarcastic scoff, rolling her optics. "Wow, you're actually right for once." The femme bit back, not pulling away.

D let out a fake gasp, dramatically putting a servo to his chassis. "You cut me deep, Dex." He uttered, shaking his healm with a click of his glossa. Opening her denta, she was quickly cut off. "Oi!" Someone shouted from the catwalk. Undoubtedly Trout. "Quit your jiber jaber!" He scolded but not calling out names, unlike last time. The mech next to her merely chuckled, removing his servo from her shoulder plate. Her optics flicked to him, wanting him to keep his servo on her a little longer.

"GET A MOVE ON!" Trout squawked, flickering his servo at the group and then to the door, that had finally opened. There was a wave of groans and murmurs before they finally started to move.

They moved slowly at first, peds clacking against the tunnels while multiple mine carts followed. Step after step, they started to jog. Then from the front of the group shouts were heard and the group split at a huge wall. One parting one way and one parting the other. The recognisable dance, she called it.

Indexa and D-16 followed a bunch of other miners, the same group they followed for cycles. Shouts were heard again as one femme at the front stepped forward and turned around, now looking upon the group. "Alright, group B, we are just a few dozen away from our max quota!" A few cheers were let out from the others around her. "Now," She lifted her servo's out. "Let's get to work." The group parted as they went to their designated sections. But for Indexa they were always a little confusing to find. It's not like they painted her name on the rocks. Oh, no. You would just have to remember where you were when you first started being a energon miner.

Lifting the pickaxe from her shoulder, her free servo giving it a little rub, she stared at the cool colourless rocks. Her optics narrowing for a moment as her grip tightened on her mandatory tool. Then, she swung. With all her might, the pick came flying down on a rock and it split in half. The sound echoing through the mines, shortly after the sound was heard again, again, and again. Like a repeated hum from all over Cybertron.

Their dear home.

NOTES:

I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of my transformers oc fic! I've been working on it for a while, so that's why I haven't put out anything writing related but I promised more oneshots/fics will be posted here!

[gxbtx]

Peter Cat Recording Co. at The Echo Lounge

Dallas, Tx, September 22nd

   This past weekend I was honored to be able to experience the Peter Cat Recording Co in the flesh, with their performance of songs from their newest album, Beta. This album was released a hefty 5 years after their last studio album, Bismillah. After the new-found success during COVID-19, the Dahli based band went on to perform for their new-found fanbase on the Good Luck Beta Tour 24. They are in the process of traveling to perform a total of 77 shows across three continents, selling out a majority of these venues to varied crowds. 

Peter Cat Recording Co. performing at The Echo Lounge in Dallas for a crowd of about 200 people 

I can best describe Peter Cat Recording Co. (PCRC) as an Indian psychedelic jazz band, taking elements of sounds transcontinental to create a movie like experience with their studio albums. Having about a decade of tenure as a band, they come to offer an evolved sense of introspection, utilizing so many different instruments to create soundtracks to the life of struggle and other complex sentiments alike. Such as seen in A Portrait of a Time: 2010-2016, they metaphorically paint pictures of a time period in their lives in which they conceptualize their feelings in regards to aspects of the human experience by making fun of their own turmoil.

PCRC displays typical traits of a band, such as guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards, but then adds flairs of color with less common instruments such as the clarinet, accordion, saxophone, and even a banana shaker! 

The show started on the song “Flowers R Blooming”, starting off the show on the foundational lessons they center their themes around; through lyrics of “For Changing Is Living/And Living is Love”, they share a valuable insight into a perspective of living far more fulfilling and redeeming in this game we call life. This song broke tears out of me, fostering an emotional connection to the band that seems rare for me to encounter. This song gave me an outlet of emotions to express that recognition in who I am is the best thing I can do to spread love to myself and others. 

 In maturing comes sacrifice, and ultimately growth in our ability to cope and humor our sensitivities in our emotions; PCRC audiolizes (I just created a new word!) these lessons such as in the leading single “People Never Change” where they renounce the power of others to impact our moods and confidence. He reverses this happier tune with a melancholy song “Heera” from their previous studio album reflecting a low point in the singer’s life, standing at a crossroads of whether it’s too late to “live a lovely life”. The hollow guitar riff being repeated with the dissonant tones of keyboard make it out to have a ghoulish feeling from this time period. As expanded upon within his band, growing up is demonstrated in coming to terms with your emotions and wearing them on full display, becoming sensible in the process, which is what Lifafa demonstrates when he lets loose and dances along to his pain in the guitar riff.

The combination of lights tastefully adds to the psychedelic feelings filling up the room, keeping the audience invested in the growth of the artistic messages

I appreciate the diversified sounds this band created, as the lead singer Lifafa has described the instrumentation to be specially tailored to the idea of what the song’s goal is.  The creative process of starting with the idea of the song, leads the band to switch around instruments to what feels right. While members progressively came and went towards the inception of the band, the 5 members we see have become comfortable together for 6 years. The versatility reeks of the experience this band has come to acquire, providing quite an alluring experience to the dedicated audience. The Echo Lounge in Dallas venue notably accommodated PCRC elegantly, having a sophisticated theater-like quality that felt appropriate to the presentation of family established in the heartfelt odes.

Guitar player Kartik Pillai went up to play “Foolmuse,” the third leading single for Beta

On my ever-prolonged journey of learning what it takes to be a man and to be the best me I can be, this band shares valuable perspectives that come from a long pipeline of experience and wisdom cross-culturally.  In Beta, their new project released earlier last month, they further their documented maturation in life coming to share feelings associated with love and connection, as well as overcoming anxious thoughts that keep us from seeing the absolute beautiful world we see around us. Although the music can sometimes seem long and heavy, I believe PCRC displays an excellent feat of music in connecting time into thoughtful reflections of their humanity - and in a way that connects us to our own. 

To read my RadioUTD finalized version, go to https://radioutd.com/blog/2024/10/peter-cat-recording-co-at-the-echo-lounge-in-dallas/

[profwalter]

Uma dieta sem carne é segura em todas as fases da vida? Vídeo 25 #audiol...

[toollistai]

What is Audiolizer?

Audiolizer transforms academic papers into engaging audio experiences. Our AI narrates and interprets content, elucidating key points, math, and tables seamlessly. Ideal for researchers and students, Audiolizer makes learning accessible and convenient, wherever you are. It requires just a research paper as input, either as a link or file.

[bedlam-moon]

currently audiolizing the first ~three seconds of revenge on loop, overlayed by the same three seconds but slightly delayed

[lavozs]

11 - EL REGRESO DE SHERLOCK HOLMES - LA AVENTURA DE AABEY GRANGE. AUDIOL...

[tropiyas]

why have i been more comfortable with sucking at guitar than sucking at drawing/animating 🤨

they’re both pretty creative outlets that i could find a fun way learning (playing songs i like, drawing fan art of characters i love) as long as i kept at it

but despite having guitar and also drawing tablet i’m picking up the guitar way more often

[mentalisttraceur]

Hi — I'm looking for a post of yours on visualising graphs with audio (eg for blind people). It might've been on your -long sideblog and is probably from several months ago at least. I thought I had it bookmarked but can't find it; would you happen to have it? Thanks!

Cheers, here's the post, and my tag for it is "audiolization", although I don't think I ever wrote anything else about it.

[funnylittlelad]

birdsong - steddie ficlet (-1.5k)

That time Steve got hearing aids.

Steve has been pissing people off for weeks and he knows it. He just doesn’t know what to do about it. It gets to the point where Dustin snaps at him for never paying attention to them. Steve starts to consider just leaving the country and starting new somewhere else. Somewhere it doesn't matter if he can hear who’s talking to him because he can't understand them anyways. He always thought Italy could be nice. Instead of running, he just shows up less. Both literally and metaphorically.

He starts bailing on more hangouts, figuring he won't be able to hear everyone so what's the point. When he is there he participates less in the conversation. He only engages when he’s really sure he can hear, which isn't a lot. It's mostly one-on-one or one-on-two. He doesn't think anyone notices, but they do. Eddie most of all feels Steve’s absence even when he’s sitting right next to him. He’s noticed the anxious tension in him when they're in groups. He just isn't sure what to do. So, he sits with a Steve-sized ache in his chest. There’s a day when the ache becomes too much, though, and Eddie breaks.

Steve sits in his living room with everyone strewn about. Eddie is next to him like he usually is unless Robin was already at Steve’s first. The kids lay and sit on the rug around the coffee table. Robin is on the other side of Eddie. Nancy sits with her legs tucked under her in a big armchair. The sound of conversation and life flows around him like a pebble in a stream. His edges have been smoothed so the water can move effortlessly, never catching on his surface. He can feel that there are words in the air around him, but there are too many other things around those words. Too much background noise and laughter. He can’t dig through it all in time to figure out what anyone is saying. So, he just stays silent like he has been. 

“He’s not listening again,” Dustin says frustratedly. 

Eddie frowns and looks at Steve. The movement catches Steve’s attention. He turns to look at Eddie with a small smile. Then he notices that it's more than just Eddie’s eyes on him. His blood runs cold and his throat dries.

“What?” He asks cautiously, eyes flitting to everyone else before landing on Eddie.

“Be honest, can you hear us?” Eddie answers Steve’s question with his own.

“I-”

“Be honest,” Eddie warns.

“No,” Steve sighs, “most of the time I can't really. I mean, I can hear you, but I can't tell what you're saying. It all garbles together like I’m underwater or something.”

“I think it's time to go to the doctor, Stevie,” Eddie says softly.

Steve frowns, but nods. There's a nervous twist in his stomach at the thought. He agrees to make an appointment the following day. Eddie hangs behind after everyone else leaves for a little bit. He does this sometimes and Steve’s never complained. Steve’s never thought about complaining. There's no surprise when Eddie gently grabs his hand either. He does that sometimes too. 

“Do you want me to go with you?” Eddie asks. 

The question nearly makes Steve cry. He wants to cry so bad. He wants to cry because he misses being able to hear his friends. He wants to cry because he’s scared of what's going to happen to what's left of his hearing. He wants to cry because Eddie is standing here offering to go to his doctor’s appointment with him like he’s a child. Mostly, he wants to cry because he’s so fucking happy Eddie offered and he doesn't have to ask. Steve nods.

“Yeah, if you don't mind,” he answers with a slight waver in his voice. 

Eddie smiles all sticky and sweet at him. Steve silently wonders what he did to be worthy of a smile like that. 

“‘Course I don't mind. Just tell me when and where and I’m there,” Eddie promises.

And he was. Eddie drives Steve to the ENT on the morning of his appointment the next week. He sat in the waiting room until Steve was done, but the knowledge he was there was enough. It was the same thing when Steve was sent to the Audiologist two weeks later. Eddie sat in the waiting room patiently while Steve sat in a booth answering all sorts of questions and prompts. It doesn't really sink in until he sees Eddie stand from his chair. The knit of his brow tells Steve his face says it all.

“What’s the verdict?” Eddie asks. 

“They’ll let me know when to come in and be fitted for my hearing aids,” he sighs with a frown.

“That’s good!” Eddie smiles as they walk out of the office. 

“Good? Eds, I’m going to have hearing aids,” Steve scoffs.

“Yeah, which means you’ll, y’know, be able to hear,” Eddie points out. 

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Nope, no buts except yours in my van,” Eddie interrupts him and points to the passenger side as they approach the van.

Steve rolls his eyes with a small smile as he climbs in. 

“I just don’t feel like it's that bad,” he admits quietly as the van choked to a start.

“How bad did they say it was?” 

Steve remains silent for a beat as Eddie pulls out. He sighs and glances out the window at the building as they leave.

“I'm working with sixty percent of my hearing in one ear and seventy in the other,” he tells Eddie.

“Stevie,” Eddie breathes with a shake of his head, “If the doctors say these things will help you then they’re worth a shot. M’tired of you bailing out on things- yeah, I noticed.”

Steve’s face flushes at being caught like that. He exhales slowly and nods. 

“Okay,” he agrees, “I’ll give them a shot.”

A couple weeks later he’s called into the office for his hearing aids. Eddie is so quick to drop what he’s doing to go with him it nearly gives Steve whiplash. The sight of Eddie’s van pulling up gives a strange swooping sensation that he's grown used to around Eddie. The appointment itself takes around an hour. Then Steve is walking out fashioned with two white hearing aids hooked over his ears. His eyes are wide as they bounce to the television and then the clacking behind the desk. Eddie beams at him and stands. Steve looks beautiful so stunned. Hell, Eddie can admit that Steve just looks beautiful. 

“C’mon, Stevie, let’s go give’em a spin,” he says with a wolfish grin.

Steve laughs and nods. They don't get far, though. Once they step foot outside Steve comes to a halt. He makes a noise that's a cross between choking and a sob. Eddie’s hands fly to examine him for injury, but there is none. Steve’s lip wobbles, his face is blotchy and red, and his warm toffee eyes are trained on the tree a few feet away. Eddie’s mouth opens to ask, but then Steve’s eyes are on him like that. His eyes overflow with more emotion than Eddie knew a human could hold. 

“The birds,” Steve croaks. 

“What about’em?” Eddie’s brows furrow.

He glances accusingly at the little chirping finches in the tree. Steve chuckles wetly at the sight.

“I- I can hear them. It’s been so long- I didn't even realize,” Steve shakes his head, “I don’t know the last time I’ve actually heard the birds.”

Steve’s wonder-filled gaze turns back to the birds in question. He laughs again, heartier this time at the notion. He can hear birds. 

“Shit,” Eddie whispers to himself, “I’m so in love with you.”

At least he thought it was to himself. An hour ago it would have been to himself. Steve’s face whips around with huge eyes. His lips part slightly as he watches Eddie stunned. Eddie freezes, absolutely terrified. He’s so sure he just fucked it all up. 

“I can hear you too,” Steve whispers.

Eddie swallows the lump in his throat.

“Nah, pretty sure that was a bird too,” he attempts to joke it off. 

“I really hope not,” Steve frowns.

Eddie blinks hopefully.

“Really? Why?”

“Because I’m in love with you too.”

Safe to say, Steve is very happy he got hearing aids. 

Masterlist - beta read by @steveslilshorts

[sinapsinews]

Dai Borbone a Chet Baker nella quinta puntata del podcast "AudioLive - Speciale Campania Teatro Festival 2021"

Quinta puntata del podcast “AudioLive – Speciale Campania Teatro Festival 2021” realizzato in collaborazione con il Campania Teatro Festival diretto da Ruggero Cappuccio. In questo nuovo appuntamento filo conduttore la storia. Ai microfoni di Rosanna Astengo il giornalista Marco Perillo, curatore del progetto multidisciplinare “Il sogno reale”, a metà strada tra guida turistica e saggio storico…

[ann-divinepriestess]

Just completed the #audiolive for the #motivational #energy of the week! #Mercury Re-enters #Pisces, #Sun enters #Aries, #Saturn enters #Aquarius, and #Vesta enters #Gemini. FIND ME ON FACEBOOK ANN MORGAN Motivational Energy for the week Thru Astrology 3/16/2020. My Astro YouTube Channel Sister ShaMaat TV. https://www.youtube.com/user/lalive08 ✨❤️✨❤️✨❤️ #lifebydesign #astrology #sistershamaat #youtube #facebook #energyshift https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zWkCZnp-y/?igshid=b4e4h8w94k5u

[beebascloset]

So if there are people who can't visualize shit in their head does that mean there are also people who can't "hear" inside their head? Like people who can't audiolize a song when it's not playing

[vialents]

Hi how was your day?

an audiol repesentation of today would be a little like AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[glassprism]

This may not make any sense, but would you be willing to list some Christines and phantoms who's voice "matched" their portrayal? For example, Meghan P and Holly Anne both have very strong vocals (as in resounding and heavier, not necessarily skill level) that match their feistier and really stubborn portrayals, while anouk has a much lighter, floaty quality that fits her dreamy and sweet portrayal. (They could be from any time period, I just chose recent performers as examples because their fresh in my mind)

No worries, I understand the question! To some extent this depends on how each person thinks a "feisty" Christine or a "strong" Christine or a "sweet" Christine sounds (e.g. I would "match" darker, more resonant voices with mature, intelligent Christines while the feisty Christines I visualize (audiolize?) as having strong voices but with a bit more lightness), but I can certainly think of a few whose voice "matched" their portrayal, such as:

Patti Cohenour - Cohenour has this gorgeous voice with high notes that sound like crystal, delicate and breathtaking, and her Christine was similarly ethereal, not all there, someone you can easily see the Phantom worshiping.

Adrienne McEwan - McEwan has definitely been described as a more mature Christine, reserved, quiet, keeping her emotions in check in a way that made her seem more aloof than your average Christine. Her voice was similar, dark and resonant.

Meredith Braun - An interesting case. In the first act, Braun was very childish and painfully naive, and her squeaky, super-light voice fit that portrayal very well. Then she made major growth in the second act, and it fit rather less well (though the contrast was certainly interesting).

Kim So Hyun - Much more so in her first run (after that her voice darkened considerably), but just watch this clip (yes I post it a lot, sorry if it's a favorite). The expressiveness of her face is more than matched by the expressiveness of her voice.

Rachel Barrell - Rachel Barrell is definitely one I'd call intelligent, strong, and feisty, at least with John Owen-Jones (she was calmer with Earl Carpenter and downright dull with Matthew Cammelle), and I find her voice matches it, though I'm sure that's a polarizing opinion: those strong high notes but a slight nasal quality and squeakiness that makes her sound a bit younger. I dunno, but I think the two match well.

Gina Beck - Gina Beck is the sweetest, most sympathetic Christine, girlish and charming, and vocally she's all that too: light and emotive, if occasionally wobbly and prone to breaking (which also matches her Christine's tendency to break down). Actually, you can say a fair few Christines fall into this category (sweet, childish Christines with sweet, light, pop-y voices).

Trista Moldovan - Moldovan I found to be a large-eyed, fearful, dreamy Christine (except with Hugh Panaro, in which case she was dreamy but also horny). Her voice was also really similar, with this gorgeous "floating" quality that I don't hear very often.

Anna O'Byrne - O'Byrne's Christine was hysterical, broken, and at the point of a mental snap. Her voice was like that too. I guess that doesn't sound like a good thing, but it matches! (I actually enjoy her Christine, so there.)

Harriet Jones - Jones had a lovely voice, very light but definitely classical and well-trained. That was her Christine too: all large eyes and naivete and an initially meek demeanor, but when pushed, you'd see the spine come out.

Kaitlyn Davis - Davis's voice was what I'd call "middle of the road": not light, not dark, not operatic but not a belt-y modern voice either. That's not a bad thing! It was a lovely, all-around good voice. Her portrayal was like that too, just a wonderfully decent attempt at showing all of Christine's sides: the naivete, the fear, the growth, the strength.

Isabel Schwartzbach - Like O'Byrne, Schwartzbach was a Christine more in line with Leroux's novel: nervous, tense, head in the clouds, these great expressive eyes and a waifish look. And those were her vocals too: dreamy, expressive, light, sometimes almost too much so - fragile, even. But well-matched.

Meghan Picerno - Pretty much everything you said. Picerno has this massive, operatic voice that fills the theater, and her Christine was wonderfully intelligent, observant, sometimes fiercely angry and passionate. A great match.

Lucy St Louis - And to finish it off, we have Lucy St Louis, who has a more classical voice with a lighter touch, sometimes floating and with a wistfulness underneath. Her Christine had a similar sense: radiant, innocent, deeply sympathetic and saddened for the Phantom.

And because I'm sure people will ask for the opposite: two that come to mind are Rebecca Caine and Daruã Góes from the Brazilian revival. Caine has this unique, "weepy" lilt to her voice that makes her Christine sound perpetually sad, but gives a very intelligent, passionate, and strong portrayal. And Daruã Góes - okay, this is partly visual, but Góes was a tiny little Christine with a round face and big eyes and an overall childish demeanor. Her voice was not that, it was big and dark and not at all what I was expecting. It actually threw me off when I watched video of her, because I kept wondering how a voice that large was coming out of such a small Christine. Very fascinating.

[jazzviewswithcj]

A deeper look at Merci Miles: (Warner Records, 2021)

Miles Davis: trumpet; Kenny Garrett: saxophone; Deron Johnson: keyboard; Richard Patterson: bass; Ricky Wellman: drums

By July, 1991 Miles Davis was music royalty.  The previous decade saw him reach a level of popularity and stardom seldom seen in jazz.  By the early 80’s the trumpeter had changed music multiple times, 4 to be exact, with his foray into hip hop, the first recording to be issued after his death Doo Bop (Warner Bros, 1992) , marking the fifth groundbreaking turn in his career.  Prior to his passing from stroke complications in 1991, he maintained a vigorous touring schedule, and the performances of his sextet of the period, the finest late career band he ever led (and arguably one of the best bands of his entire career) were supercharged.  The music captured on the newly released Merci Miles: Live at Vienne (Rhino, 2021) marks the first time anywhere save two YouTube videos the concert has been available in full, and is significant and historically important for two reasons:  it is one of Miles’ final performances in France available legally, and it features two compositions by Prince, the cheeky entendre laden titles “Penetration” and “Jailbait” that the late icon wrote specifically for Davis.  

The picture of the late singer/composer/multi instrumentalist’s involvement with Davis is much clearer through the release of Prince’s own Sign O’ The Times multi disc mega box set and the official release of “Can I Play With U?” a track originally written by The Purple One during the legendary Rubberband (Rhino, 2018) sessions.   Prince’s track was going to be included on what eventually turned out to be Davis’ first album with his new label, Warner Bros. Tutu (1986) but was eventually shelved.  The track was then slated to be issued in the original, much more substantial The Last Word: The Complete Warner Brothers Recordings box set from the early 2000’s (of which promo copies existed) but was fazed out due to rights issues.

The trumpeter always regarded France warmly, from the time he first set foot on French soil as a 22 year old in 1949.  The country was also where in the late 1950’s he recorded the innovative soundtrack to Elevator To The Gallows or Ascenseur pour l’echafaud director Louis Malle’s smoky noir film of which the trumpeter’s soundtrack, completely improvised featuring a top French rhythm section crystallized some of the ideas the trumpeter later would apply on Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959).  France was also the setting for the infamous romance with the late French starlet Juliette Greco.  More importantly, France, being the first country to wholeheartedly embrace jazz and recognize creative improvised Black music to be on par with European art music, was ready for whatever Davis brought to the table, instead of the misdirected pining that many fans and critics demonstrated in the U.S. for his past, acoustic centered work.  

Merci Miles was captured on July 1, 1991 at the Jazz a Vienne festival, at a picturesque Roman amphitheater filled to capacity.  7 days later on July 8, Miles would revisit the material from Porgy and Bess, Miles Ahead and Sketches of Spain at the Montreux Jazz Festival  with a double orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones and featuring the late trumpeter Wallace Roney as a second voice alongside occasional spots for alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett.    The appearance featuring this music was followed by an appearance with former band mates in Paris on July 10 (a concert that unfortunately of this writing is  being thieved by bootleggers for album release), and the European swing wrapped up in Nice, France on July 16th.

Miles’ band that July 1st evening, featuring Deron Johnson (who grew up with Miles’ nephew and former drummer Vince Wilburn, Jr) on keyboards; Kenny Garrett on alto saxophone and flute) lead bassist and Parliament alumnus Foley, bassist Richard Patterson, and the late Ricky Wellman on drums were inspired and smoking.

“Hannibal” written by Marcus Miller, which appeared on the group’s latest studio album Amandla (1989) is the high energy set opener, with the rhythm section of Johnson, Patterson and Wellman in perfect sync.  Miles flies free with some solo lines before the head appears, and Kenny Garrett makes his first appearance with a lengthy solo.  Garrett (who has a new Mack Avenue studio album in August) is like a heat seeking missile, the rhythm section responding and creating inner dialogues with him in response to his impassioned, pulpit stirring cries.  Deron Johnson, often alongside with Garrett in taking some of the best solos of the evening, briefly dialogues with Miles before spinning off into his own, substantial solo turn.  Johnson is a complete history of the keyboardist’s who played with the trumpeter and distills everything in his sparkling, distinctive soloing voice, swinging slightly behind the beat against the mightily funky bass and drums underneath.

“Human Nature”, the classic ballad   from Michael Jackson’s Thriller (Epic, 1982) Davis first debuted on You’re Under Arrest (Columbia, 1985).  The sensuous existential track became a blank canvas for the Davis band to paint on nightly.  The trumpeter renders the melody with longing, then gradually shifts into a resourceful solo with a double time sprint.  Within Davis’ solo and the use of Spanish tinged scales, and the colorful keyboard backing, the intense drama of the beautiful arrangements that Gil Evans crafted for Sketches of Spain (Columbia, 1959) which Marcus Miller expanded upon in a sense for the film soundtrack Siesta (Warner Bros, 1989) are clearly felt.  Davis quotes “Nature Boy” and a few other asides before passing the baton to Garrett, who used the tune as a nightly feature for intense late period Coltrane trance like meditation.  Garrett fits in a quote of the old spiritual “Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho” before rocketing into space; Wellman in particular follows him wherever he goes.  Every now and then Miles jabs some mood setting chords with his Oberheim OBX synth as cues, while Garrett continues to combust.  The saxophonist bursting at the seams as a fragment from the bridge to “Milestones” is used as an ostinato, Davis signals a quick blast with his trumpet and the tune ends.  Garrett brought the audience and listeners at home on a thrill ride.

“Time After Time” , the Cyndi Lauper classic is ushered in as volcanic applause erupts from the audience, nearly drowning  out the music.  For 9 and a half minutes, the show belongs to Davis, as he gently finds all the melodic contours he can in the tune.  Like “Round Midnight” and “My Funny Valentine” of decades past, “Time After Time” became one of Davis’ signature ballads.  He drives his improvisation the same way  as Aretha Franklin, Pavarotti, Bocelli or Carreras would, with a marked sense of passion and timeless beauty.

Disc 1 closes with one of the Prince tunes, “Penetration” where everyone gets off on the raunchy funk.  Davis and Garrett are one during the track, and it truly shows the admiration and border less musicality that both icons would have shared, Davis struts with swagger between melody statements and Johnson rips into his solo with passion, Garrett’s searing alto ups the ante further.  As a contrast, “Jailbait” on disc 2, is a gut bucket blues where both Johnson and Garrett take scintillating solos..

The show closes with “Wrinkle” a wondrous maze of a melody that is awe inspiring when played a top speed, and “Finale” a drum solo feature for Wellman that showcases his patented bass drum triplets while keeping rock solid time on the snare, a sort of shuffle where the bass and snare switch roles, and some lightning samba as well as his signature Go-Go groove.

Sound:

Merci Miles is taken directly from the original tapes recorded and mixed by Patrick Savey and Mastered by John Webber at Air Studios in London.  Similar to Sony/Legacy’s Bootleg Series releases for Davis, the tape is from the official broadcast, in this case captured by the small Zycopolis studios.  Curiously for 1991, the sound is mono which could be due to whatever technical limitations of the tape, but it is very good strong mono.  The Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC manages to wring out very nice separation for the band in the mono soundstage: In particular, Davis trumpet is vibrant, brassy, golden and present.  Richard Patterson’s bass is commanding and takes the center of the sound stage, deep and rich.  Ricky Wellman’s drums are full of gusto, there is a reason his nickname was “Sugarfoot” and you hear that in all it’s glory.  Kenny Garrett’s passion radiates past the speakers, Deron Johnson’s keyboards float above the proceedings and Foley’s lead bass provides a wonderful textural contrast to everything else.

Concluding Thoughts:

The 80’s and early 90’s Miles cannon  has seen relatively scant archival releases versus everything from the 50’s-70’s.  Merci Miles is a welcome document of a band that truly was at the top of it’s game and at the peak of its powers.  Miles Davis, judging from this concert was showing little sign of slowing down in his playing, there is a vitality and joy here that  easily places this alongside his Montreux concerts of the period and the excellent Live Around The World (Warner Brothers, 1996).  A wonderful present honoring the great musical icon thirty years on from his passing.  The CD (reviewed here) and LP packages contain some particularly touching photos in a triple gatefold in the French Flag colors of Miles memorabilia from that final tour provided by Vince Wilburn, Jr and a superb liner essay from noted scholar Ashley Kahn contextualizing the history of the trumpeter’s French sojourns and the event itself, alongside some great photos.  The cover also features some nice embossing of the album title text and Davis’ name.  If there is any doubt about physical media, this album is a compelling case for why it’s so good to OWN a physical copy of an album.

Music: 10/10

Sound: 8.5/10

Equipment used for this review

Audiolab 6000 CDT  transport

Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC

Marantz NR 1200 stereo receiver (as pre amp)

Marantz MM 7025 stereo power amplifier

Focal Chora 826 speakers

Audioquest Forest and Golden Gate cables