Miles Davis E.S.P., mono mix

[Richard Shapiro]

This weekend, I picked up a used, mono copy of the great Miles Davis
record E.S.P. I'd never heard any mono mixes of Miles records from
this period, but I had a feeling this one would be more satisfactory
than the better known stereo mix. On the stereo E.S.P., the drums are
in one channel, the piano in the other, the trumpet in both (I forget
offhand how the sax and bass are distributed). It makes for a very
peculiar kind of listening. Switching my pre-amp into mono makes it
worse: the balance between the instruments is all wrong. On the other
hand, the mono mix is quite nice. Of course, all the instruments seem
to be coming from a single, impossible point in space, but the overall
effect is much more listenable, imho, than the over-separated stereo
mix. I'm considering seeking out mono copies of the other records by
the great mid-60s quintet. Has anyone heard any of these?

Listening to ESP again also reminded me of just how strong this band
was. I would say without hesitation that it was the best and most
consistent band in Miles' entire career, at least in the studio. These
records haven't been sufficiently appreciated, I think, because
they're quite subtle and understated. The live recordings I've heard
by the quintet are relatively disappointing -- are there any in which
they play the new music instead of warmed over versions of
Coltrane-era tunes? Maybe I just haven't heard the right concert
recordings.