A Tribute to Jack Johnson 1709642 219146538 2008-06-13T20:01:19Z Dan56 6661051 {{Infobox Album | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums --> Name = A Tribute to Jack Johnson| Type = [[Album]] | Artist = [[Miles Davis]]| Cover = Tribute To Jack Johnson.jpg | Released = [[February 24]] [[1971]]| Recorded = [[February 18]] [[&]] [[April 7]] [[1970]] | Genre = [[Jazz fusion]] | Length = 52:26| Label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] | Producer = [[Teo Macero]] | Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{rating-5|5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:yz0xlfjegcqt link] *[[Robert Christgau]] (A+) [http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=944&name=Miles+Davis link] *[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]] {{rating-5|5}} [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3203 link]| Last album = ''[[Live-Evil]]'' <br />(1971) | This album = '''''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'''''<br />(1971) | Next album = ''[[On The Corner]]''<br />(1972) | }} '''''A Tribute to Jack Johnson''''' is a [[jazz fusion]] [[album]] recorded in [[1970 in music|1970]] by [[Miles Davis]]. It was recorded as the [[soundtrack]] for a [[Documentary film|documentary]] of the same name by [[Bill Cayton]] about the heavyweight world champion [[boxing|boxer]] [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]]. ==Creation== The first major recording session for the album, which took place on 7 April 1970, was almost accidental: [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], awaiting Miles's arrival, began improvising [[riff]]s on his guitar, and was shortly joined by [[Michael Henderson]] and [[Billy Cobham]]. Meanwhile, the producers brought in [[Herbie Hancock]], who had been passing through the building on unrelated business, to play the [[Farfisa organ]]. Miles arrived at last and began his solo at about 2:19 on the first track. The album's two long tracks were assembled in the editing room by [[Record producer|producer]] [[Teo Macero]]. "Right Off" is constructed from several takes and a solo by Davis recorded in November 1969.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} It contains a [[riff]] from [[Sly and the Family Stone]]'s "[[Sing a Simple Song]]". Much of the track "Yesternow" is built around a slightly modified version of the [[bassline]] from the [[James Brown]] song "[[Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud]]"; this may be a deliberate allusion to the song's [[Black Power]] theme as it relates to the film's subject. "Yesternow" also incorporates a brief excerpt of "Shhh/Peaceful" from Davis's [[1969 in music|1969]] album ''[[In a Silent Way]]'' and a 10-minute section comprising several takes of the tune "Willie Nelson" from a session on [[18 February]] [[1970]]. ==Reception== ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' was less commercially successful than Davis's previous electric album, ''[[Bitches Brew]]'', reaching only #159 on the [[Billboard 200]] where ''Bitches Brew'' had risen as high as #35. Some fans and [[critic]]s, however, consider ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' to be the musically superior album. ==Track listing== ===Side one=== #"Right Off" – 26:53 ===Side two=== #"Yesternow" – 25:34 == Personnel == The first track and about half of the second track were recorded on [[7 April]] [[1970]] by this group: * [[Miles Davis]] - [[Trumpet]] * [[Steve Grossman]] - [[Soprano saxophone]] * [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]] - [[Electric guitar]] * [[Herbie Hancock]] - [[Organ (music)|Organ]] * [[Michael Henderson]] - [[bass guitar|Electric bass]] * [[Billy Cobham]] - [[Drums]] The second part of the second track (starting at about 12:55) was recorded on [[18 February]] [[1970]] by a different and uncredited lineup: * [[Miles Davis]] - [[Trumpet]] * [[Bennie Maupin]] - [[Bass clarinet]] * [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]] - [[Electric guitar]] * [[Sonny Sharrock]] - [[Electric guitar]] * [[Chick Corea]] - [[Electric piano]] * [[Dave Holland]] - [[bass guitar|Electric bass]] * [[Jack DeJohnette]] - [[Drums]] At the end of the "Yesternow" there is a sound clip recorded by actor [[Brock Peters]] saying: "I'm Jack Johnson -- heavyweight champion of the world! I'm black! They never let me forget it. I'm black all right; I'll never let them forget it." ==See also== *[[The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions]] - [[2003]] [[box set]] ==External links== * [http://www.miles-beyond.com/jackjohnson.htm Article about the making of ''Jack Johnson'' and ''The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions'' boxed set at the '''Miles Beyond''' site, dedicated to the electric music of Miles Davis] {{Miles Davis}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Tribute to Jack Johnson, A}} [[Category:1971 albums]] [[Category:Miles Davis albums]] [[Category:Columbia Records albums]] [[Category:Jazz fusion albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Teo Macero]] [[de:A Tribute to Jack Johnson]] [[fr:A Tribute to Jack Johnson]] [[it:A Tribute to Jack Johnson]] [[pl:A Tribute to Jack Johnson]]