Nardis: first recorded performance?
Jussi Tapio Haukioja
'Nardis'? The discography in Ian Carr's Miles biography doesn't have it
in it at all, and the Real Book lists recordings by Bill Evans and Joe
Henderson. Can it really be true that there is absolutely no version of this
tune with Miles himself playing it?
Jussi Haukioja
Univ. of Turku, Finland
Michael Rose
>Does anyone know what is the first recorded performance of the Miles tune
>'Nardis'? The discography in Ian Carr's Miles biography doesn't have it
>in it at all, and the Real Book lists recordings by Bill Evans and Joe
>Henderson. Can it really be true that there is absolutely no version of this
>tune with Miles himself playing it?
It *really* is true that Miles *never* recorded "Nardis"; I have no
idea why - there's not even a live performance. The first recording
was by Cannonball Adderley - "Portrait of Cannonball" (Riverside
RLP269 - reissued on CD as OJCCD-361) with Blue Mitchell, Bill Evans,
Sam Jones & Philly Joe Jones. Evans went on to record it on over 40
occasions (OK, that includes bootlegs!). Does anyone remember a
version which appeared on a long-ago UK Columbia "Lansdowne Series"
album: "Jazz Tete-a-Tete"?
Mike Rose
David Thomas
Jussi Tapio Haukioja <jhau...@utu.fi> wrote:
>Does anyone know what is the first recorded performance of the Miles tune
>'Nardis'? The discography in Ian Carr's Miles biography doesn't have it
>in it at all, and the Real Book lists recordings by Bill Evans and Joe
>Henderson. Can it really be true that there is absolutely no version of this
>tune with Miles himself playing it?
I'm sure I have an LP with Cannonball Adderley playing NARDIS, with
Bill Evans on piano. I can't remember the title though.
David Thomas
brunel university library
Matthew Cohler
>Does anyone know what is the first recorded performance of the Miles tune
>'Nardis'? The discography in Ian Carr's Miles biography doesn't have it
>in it at all, and the Real Book lists recordings by Bill Evans and Joe
>Henderson. Can it really be true that there is absolutely no version of
this
>tune with Miles himself playing it?
>
>Univ. of Turku, Finland
>
it. The chord progression is very Evans-esque(Blue In Green, initially
co-credited to Evans and Davis, and eventually only to Davis, was almost
certainly an Evans composition). Also the word Nardis forms an
anagram(except for the Z) for Zindars. Bill Evans often recorded
compositions by Earl Zinders and we know of his fondness for anagrams in
titles(e.g. Re Person I Knew = Orrin Keepnews, his producer at Riverside).
If there is any evidence that Nardis was actually written by Miles I'd
like to hear it(note that several other compositions credited to Miles were
also not written by him, e.g. Tune Up and Four, both by Eddie "Cleanhead"
Vinson).
Matt C.
bea...@pipeline.com
Wyatt Rodney Mitchell
Not that I'm absolutely positive about this but, as to the proof of Miles'
penning 'Nardis':
1) the liner notes on the previously mentioned "Portrait of Cannonball"-
(Riverside) disk, first recording of the tune, read as follows, "...the
Oriental-flavored 'Nardis', one of Miles Davis' rather infrequent
compositions..." - Orrin Keepnews, 1958 and "...Miles Davis' tricky and
then newly written 'Nardis.'" - Orrin Keepnews, 1989
2) On the bootleg Bill Evans disk titled, "The legendary Bill Evans Trio:
The 1960 Birdland Sessions," Evans, Lafaro and Motian are recorded live
with Symphony Sid Torin as M.C. Symphony Sid is talking to the live
audience as well as a radio audience and asks Evans what they'll be playing
next and Evans himself says "Nardis, by Miles Davis." then they hit.
that's all i know
Wyatt Mitchell
ja...@pipeline.com
GJuke
Supreme" (3rd Movement, can't remember the name).
GJ
Michael Fitzgerald
wrote:
>I believe the reason Miles never recorded it was because he didn't write
>it.
Well, Miles certainly recorded the other tunes you mention him as not
writing. So that reasoning doesn't really hold up.
Why (and how) would he NOT write a tune and NOT record it and STILL
get his name on it???
>The chord progression is very Evans-esque(Blue In Green, initially
>co-credited to Evans and Davis, and eventually only to Davis, was almost
>certainly an Evans composition).
As I mentioned before, the ORIGINAL recording by Cannonball is played
at a much slower tempo and sounds much more like a Miles tune. Every
time that Evans played it, he radically changed the tempo. If it were
his composition, I rather imagine he would get his way on the subject
of tempo as he was present at the recording.
Nardis is NOT co-credited to Bill Evans. I can understand where the
line blurs on the subject of collaboration, but Miles is the ONLY
composer listed. Bill Evans IS the pianist at the original date.
Allow me to quote from the original liner notes to "Portrait of
Cannonball" (the original recording) written by Orrin Keepnews:
"The friends-and-associates aspect of this 'portrait' is also in
evidence in the repertoire. In addition to one free-blowing version of
a standard, there are two Cannonball originals (A Little Taste, first
recorded on the first album Adderley made; and Straight Life, a new
ballad), a blues contributed by Sam Jones, a new scoring of one of the
best tunes of the talented composer-arranger-altoist Gigi Gryce, and
finally the Oriental-flavored Nardis, one of Miles Davis' rather
infrequent compositions, specifically written for Cannonball's
Riverside debut."
>Also the word Nardis forms an
>anagram(except for the Z) for Zindars. Bill Evans often recorded
>compositions by Earl Zinders and we know of his fondness for anagrams in
>titles(e.g. Re Person I Knew = Orrin Keepnews, his producer at Riverside).
As a rationale for Evans' composition of the tune, this is pure BS.
Watch this:
I have previously posted that Ben Sidran, while interviewing Miles
Davis, asked about Nardis, as it is SIDRAN backwards!!!
....and we know of MILES DAVIS' fondness for backwards names in
titles!!!! (e.g. Selim and Sivad)
So that shoots that one down. Despite the fact that Davis did not
intend Nardis to be Sidran backwards. Miles did play around with words
however (Drad Dog, Pfrancing).
BTW, Orrin Keepnews himself says (Portrait of Cannonball cd notes
again):
"As an added bonus, there's the almost accepted next-to-last
performance of Miles Davis's tricky and then newly written Nardis."
As Bill Evans' producer at Riverside, he'd probably know better than
most if Evans indeed did write it and he says it was Miles.
> If there is any evidence that Nardis was actually written by Miles I'd
>like to hear it(note that several other compositions credited to Miles were
>also not written by him, e.g. Tune Up and Four, both by Eddie "Cleanhead"
>Vinson).
That is prejudice, pure and simple. "Just because he was guilty
before, he MUST be guilty now...."
All other compositions claimed by Miles WERE recorded by him. The REAL
composers were not present. In this case, Miles NEVER recorded Nardis
and Bill Evans (the composer??) WAS present on the original recording.
Someone a while back also offered the footnote that on a live
broadcast of Bill Evans, Nardis is announced as being composed by
Miles Davis, with Evans making no attempt at correction. I wouldn't
accept this as enough evidence by itself (now, EVANS announcing it as
being by Miles would settle the case forever), but it just adds to the
case for Davis composition.
Marc Sabatella
> Speaking of Nardis, why does it sound so much like Coltrane's "A Love
> Supreme" (3rd Movement, can't remember the name).
Second movement, Pursuance.
Nardis also reminds of the pseudo-flamenco progression that dominates Chick
Corea's "La Fiesta", and indeed, I often segue from to the other. Then come
back to the last phrase of "Nardis" to end the medley.
I've also noticed Nardis is Sidran spelled backwards, but was Ben a known
quantity back in the early 1960's, or whenever it is that ther tune first
started showing up? I suppose it was possible someone named a tune after him
or his family before he became well known, though.
--
Marc Sabatella
--
ma...@fc.hp.com
http://www.fortnet.org/~marc/
--
All opinions expressed herein are my personal ones
and do not necessarily reflect those of HP or anyone else.
Michael Fitzgerald
>Maybe it was a co-write. Maybe it was a ghost write....
>
>I heard "Nardis" was written for Ben Sidran (Nardis spelled backwards).
>Anybody have a clue?
Ummmmm, wrong.
Just a coincidence, apparently. I imagine Sidran was still in short
pants in 1958 when Davis wrote the tune.
As I've mentioned before, Sidran DID ask Miles about it.
GJuke
>>>>I've also noticed Nardis is Sidran spelled backwards, but was Ben a
known quantity back in the early 1960's, or whenever it is that ther tune
first started showing up? I suppose it was possible someone named a tune
after him or his family before he became well known, though.<<<<
>>>>(Plus 2 more/stronger denials of the "Sidran concept")<<<<
Well, I haven't seen the copyright (so I don't know it's 1958); and there
seems to be some discussion as to who actually wrote Nardis (I've always
thought it was Evans).
But in the early 60's (??), before Sidran made his mark as a rock musician
(Steve Miller), a jazz musician, or a producer or radio host, he DID write
a thesis which later became a published book ("Black Talk"), describing
the black/jazz musicians' experience.
So it's at least a plausible theory.
As for Miles' denying it; well, there's your answer (if you believe
Miles).
BTW, what's wrong with "short pants"? I still wear them [if I used :) 's,
one would go here].
GJ
GAANS L.J.A.C.VAN
>Does anyone know what is the first recorded performance of the Miles tune
>'Nardis'? The discography in Ian Carr's Miles biography doesn't have it
>in it at all, and the Real Book lists recordings by Bill Evans and Joe
>Henderson. Can it really be true that there is absolutely no version of this
>tune with Miles himself playing it?
Miles never recorded Nardis by himself. There's a latin version of it on the
excellent album 'Afrodisia' from the Dutch Latin group Nueva Manteca. Check it
out!!
Luc
Michael Rose
>Nardis also reminds of the pseudo-flamenco progression that dominates Chick
>Corea's "La Fiesta", and indeed, I often segue from to the other. Then come
>back to the last phrase of "Nardis" to end the medley.
In a book on 'Trane, Brian Priestley noted that both "La Fiesta" and
Charles Lloyd's "Love Song for a Baby" derived from Trane's opening
solo on Miles' "Someday my Prince Will Come". Now I'm gonna have to
check whether there's any legacy from "Nardis"....
Mike Rose
mr...@newk.demon.co.uk
Alec Cozens
Nardis that have been played by everyone but Miles, I thought I
may as well put in my favourite: Ralph Towner, solo
classical guitar on 'Solo Concert' ECM.
Alec
michael j stevens
tune...Bill Evans or Miles Davis...
michael j stevens
by Miles Davis...Still I am not sold.
ADAM BENJAMIN SCHNEIT
michael j stevens (michae...@delphi.com) wrote:
: I did hear the tape of bill Evans announcing Nardis as composed
: by Miles Davis...Still I am not sold.
Wait a minute...are you joking? If Bill Evans announces the composer as
Miles, isn't that proof enough? Was someone holding a gun to his head or
something?
Michael Melkonian
In that case, check out Mike Sterns version on "Standards (and other Songs)"
with Gil Goldstien on keyboards.
Mike.
Matthew Cohler
>Marc, et. al.--
>
>>>>>I've also noticed Nardis is Sidran spelled backwards, but was Ben a
>known quantity back in the early 1960's, or whenever it is that ther tune
>first started showing up? I suppose it was possible someone named a tune
>after him or his family before he became well known, though.<<<<
that Bill Evans wrote this tune) Nardis is a near-anagram(except for the Z)
for Zindars. Evans often played Earl Zindars' tunes and often wrote
anagrams as well(eg Re Person I Knew = Orrin Keepnews(sp?) who was his
Riverside producer).
Matt C.
bea...@pipeline.com
Matthew Cohler
>Someone a while back also offered the footnote that on a live
>broadcast of Bill Evans, Nardis is announced as being composed by
>Miles Davis, with Evans making no attempt at correction. I wouldn't
>accept this as enough evidence by itself (now, EVANS announcing it as
>being by Miles would settle the case forever), but it just adds to the
>case for Davis composition.
Evans DID say Miles wrote it but once he(Miles) had claimed it I doubt
Evans(always very humble and self-effacing, it seems) would have
contradicted it. After all it is OBVIOUS that Evans wrote Blue In Green,
which was initially co-credited to him and Miles, then later to only Miles,
and Bill never contested that. Miles took credit for a lot of things he
didn't do(which is not to detract on his status as a great musician-and, as
a bandleader, perhaps the person who most shaped 20th century American
music). Ever hear the story about Miles where someone asks him about some
song, a standard that Miles definitely absolutely didn't write("Hey Miles,
whose tune is that?") and Miles replies "Man that's MY tune". I think his
rationale was that once he had recorded a definitive version of a tune he
considered it HIS.
Matt C.
bea...@pipeline.com
GJuke
But Zindars? No.
GJ
Ton Maas
Alec Cozens <aco...@tcp.co.uk> wrote:
>As this thread is rapidly evolving into all the versions of
>Nardis that have been played by everyone but Miles, I thought I
>may as well put in my favourite: Ralph Towner, solo
>classical guitar on 'Solo Concert' ECM.
Another personal favorite version of Nardis is on:
"Released" by Todd Phillips (Varrick Records) [vinyl only - alas]
Ton Maas, Amsterdam NL
GJuke
>get his name on it???
NOT saying this EVER happened w/Miles (who knows?); but in the old days it
was common for people to get a "piece" of publishing by getting their name
on the copyright-- in fact it is still relatively common, and in SOME
cases warranted.
GJ
Girard Giz Bowe
play many Zindars tunes, and to anagram his name as a "tribute" also
seems logical.
gj...@aol.com (GJuke) wrote:
>GJ
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^ Girard Giz Bowe | Past performance is no ^
^ gir...@richmond.infi.net | guarantee of future results!^
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Marc Sabatella
> Au contraire, but Matt's response makes the most sense. Evans DID
> play many Zindars tunes, and to anagram his name as a "tribute" also
> seems logical.
If we believe Evans wrote the tune. Hard to think of a reason why Miles would
do this - or why either of them would be lazy enough to not find a way to
include the "Z".
GJuke
Otherwise it would be "Snardiz".
GJ
Girard Giz Bowe
that a reason, or what?? Anyway, the reason, I think, for using
Nardis-without-a-Z is euphony. In the precise world of
song-name-provenance, this explanation satisfies me.
Giz
ma...@sde.hp.com (Marc Sabatella) wrote:
>Girard Giz Bowe wrote:
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