This is a cultural recording. Yes, it is a jazz CD. But it is, in my opinion, a grand gesture at reconciliation between disparate cultures bound together by a universal truth. Music. There is the cliche that music is a universal language. Music as we define the word in Western Culture, is both a universal and a common language but more strongly a cultural indicator. The fact that music is enjoyed, created, analyzed and debated throughout the world makes it de facto universal. But what makes the exact language of Music a shared common form of communication? It is within the details that come various subtle ways that are the basis of cultural communication. No one culture dominates on this recording. Too often, music is divided into disproportional symbolic parts that tend to skim the essence of a sound in favor of a surface intent. Music Colonialism. Only in recent years have proportional projects come into being as there is an equalization effect between emerging social and economic cultures that are having a profound impact on how international cosmopolitan music is being conceived and created, disseminated and enjoyed.

     On this project, the music of Miles Davis is our common language, and thus becomes the basis of communication in this idea of an exploration of a reconciliation of two unique cultures, North American and Indian. As Miles' music and former musicians span the history of Modern Jazz, the musicians from India span the history of Modern Indian Jazz and Classical Music. The exact performance language is passed between musicians in the traditional way via the oral tradition so common in our development of knowledge as to refine the sound and direction of any given musical moment. Jimmy Cobb's drum language, derived from Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones, was compressed by Lenny White and Ndugu Chancler. Lenny's language was compressed by Vince Wilburn, Jr. All share the same idea but with different accents. Chick Corea's language was assimilated by Adam Holzman and Robert Irving and developed and refined to meet the exact demands of the moment. In India, there is no jazz education movement nor is jazz taught in public schools. Music is a family affair. Louiz Banks, my coproducer, and his son, Gino, are part of this India tradition of passing the knowledge within the family. The same is with Miles, except the family is not only blood (as Vince Wilburn, Jr. is Miles's nephew), but also musical. The Indian musicians represent the best of the Legendary Jazz and Classical artists mixed with the new and exciting young artists that are bubbling on the scene from Delhi to Goa, from Madras to Mumbai. The flautist Rakesh Chaurasia is from a family of flautists, his uncle is one of India's foremost instrumentalists, as is the Carnatic Violinist Kala Ramnath. Her father is also a renowned performer and teacher. The master of the Ghatam Vikku Vinayakram (an original member of Shakti) and his son Selva Ganesh, on Kanjira, are also part of this tradition of spirituality and knowledge. And still, Louiz is profoundly influenced by Chick Corea and Gino is by Lenny White, so the language and spirit travels the world, connecting total strangers in sound. Percussionist Taufiq Qureshi is the son of the great tabla maestro, Ustad Alla Rakha and brother of Zakir Hussain.

     One can hear the "comfortability" of the languages and cultures in the final presentation. These musicians and the music they create is spiritual on many levels as defined above. In India, deep and devotional spirituality is part of everyday life, especially among musicians. Musicians pass this knowledge (spirit) of the music from one generation to another via the oral tradition, such is the same with the musicians who worked with Miles Davis. That language, the melding of jazz, classical music and popular music, is still evident in the performances by these musicians.

     The stellar artists on this recording span the many recorded artistic triumphs of Miles Davis experienced in his lifetime. Jimmy Cobb was on Kind of Blue as well as Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain. Ron Carter was the bassist on My Funny Valentine, Miles Smiles and Nefertiti and many other classic LP's from what we call the "Second Great Quintet." Chick Corea and John McLaughlin debuted with Miles on In A Silent Way and they joined with Lenny White to participate in the seminal Bitches Brew. Michael Henderson joined Miles at the age of 19 and he and John McLaughlin rocked Miles on A Tribute to Jack Johnson. Badal Roy and Dave Liebman met and performed together for the first time on On The Corner. Pete Cosey and Henderson were together on Get Up With It and the legendary Agartha. Mike Stern made a splash on We Want Miles, Marcus Miller created one of Mile's last great classic recordings (Tutu), Vince Wilburn was on The Man with the Horn with Robert Irving III and then were together on You're Under Arrest. Ndugu Chancler and Gary Bartz were part of an unrecorded band with Keith Jarrett and Michael Henderson. Wallace Roney was at the legendary penultimate performance in Montreux in 1991, standing next to Miles and playing with him. The Indian musicians also have stellar associations, beginning with the formation of Shakti, John McLaughlin's post-Mahavishnu Orchestra band that explored, refined and re-defined South Indian Classical Music. From that beginning sprang up unique groups and collaborations with Indian and Western musicians, led by Zakir Hussain's ongoing efforts. Louiz Banks band "Silk" is one of IndiaÕs premier jazz bands and all of the musicians in that band are present on this recording.

     To realize this project, we first traveled to Mumbai (I arrived after 10 days in Shanghai, China, producing a project for EMI), I settled into my hotel room and started recording non-stop for 10 days, with only one day off. The musicians would fly in for the afternoon and Louiz Banks and I would set about creating the beds for further development. What was going to be a single CD soon turned out to be a bonanza of riches. The musicians in India were so enthusiastic about what was happening that they extended their performances so that they could be developed rhythmically without restriction. After this experience we flew back to the US to plan the continuation of the project and I began calling and emailing musicians.

     The music you are hearing or are about to hear evolved over the span of 11 months, beginning in Mumbai with the basic elements being created at the ground floor (aka the form). Once the form was established in Mumbai with Louiz Banks and myself, the musicians came in, one-by-one or two-by-two and began to build the foundation from which the Western musicians would be able to express their own musical statements. In the US, each musician was allowed to improvise within the forms and structures provided by the Indian musicians and by using improvisation as a compositional tool, I was able to construct the final results. The musicians all reacted very naturally to the music, as it was a familiar language and they were used to this kind of freedom to "go for it." Nothing was said to the musicians in the US. The music was played for them as they improvised so as not to give them chances to work out their solos beforehand. They had to "react."

     In approaching the interpretations of each composition, one has to deliberate the element of form. In Western music, form is often enclosed, as in your typical song form. In its highest practice, symphonic form is an ultimate template for organizing compositions that include exposition beyond a simple, repetitive statement and musical development of the ideas presented. Within the boundaries of Indian Classical Music is a similar "symphonic" form. On Spanish Key and Blue in Green, this merging of similar forms makes the final result unique and compelling both in its dramatic effect and deeper spiritual content.

     Here are some interesting elements to this recording. The time signatures we chose were not bound by those of the original recordings. In fact, the most radical of all transpositions were the arrangements of the compositions from one of Jazz Music's all-time great LPs, Kind of Blue. All Blues was turned from 6/4 into 5/4 and features a very soulful sitar solo from Ravi Chary, a bright piano solo from Louiz Banks underneath the swinging Jimmy Cobb and Ron Carter, and a beautiful alto sax solo by Gary Bartz, a singular voice in jazz today (and ending with a duet at the coda with a young Indian-American alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa). So What is performed in 9/4 and features a fantastic piano solo from Chick Corea over a raga-bass line from Ron Carter with Ndugu and the Indian drummers locking in with great certainty. Blue in Green is presented as a symphony, where the melody is "sung" by Shankar Mahadevan, one of IndiaÕs most popular vocalists today, being favored by the Bollywood Film Industry. As with Spanish Key, Shankar's voice is both instrument and "vocal". On Spanish Key he is a counterpoint to Wallace Roney's solo and with Blue in Green he is the singular presence that communicates the sadness of the composition with great emotional finesse and provides an ethereal mask for the guitar sounds of Mike Stern. Stern, Jimmy Cobb and Ron Carter are drawn into this exotic world of Indian expressionism. The use of the Sarangi, performed by the young master Dilshad Khan, exposes us to one of the most ancient of Indian instruments. It is said that the Sarangi is the closest to the human voice in texture. Thus the juxtaposition of the ancient (Dilshad and Shankar) and modern (Stern, Banks, Carter and Cobb) are present in this track. Jimmy makes his sound and concept of coloration come alive on this presentation. He plays differently than one would expect. But he is a master musician who can fit into anything that has good taste and good intentions and is predicated on swing. Louiz, Ron and Jimmy establish an intimate dialog between them that is exemplified by the darting sense of time and form that they create. A one-of-a-kind Jimmy Cobb performance by the way!

     We tuned some of the compositions to the drums. On Miles Runs the Voodoo Down, the key was changed to D (from F) in order to accentuate the pitch of the bottom drums. Now common in hip-hop, tuning to the drums is part of the natural evolution and sound of Classical Indian music. On Spanish Key, the drums are tuned to E and that's where this arrangement is centered. The original version (recorded by Miles in 1969 on his seminal LP Bitches Brew) moves between 5 different tonal centers but that arrangement would have been impractical for this version. Spanish Key is the most connected of all the arrangements on this recording, as it's in 5 parts, with each part reflecting the transfused symphonic idea of form. There is the mournful opening statement in duo with Louiz Banks on piano and Wallace Roney's open trumpet, followed by a "recitation" with Shankar Mahadevan chanting over an electric soundscape (with Louiz Banks now on Fender Rhodes) and Dave Liebman on Indian flute floating in the background. Then the groove begins with a pulsing beat from Lenny White and Gino Banks (echoing the two drummer concept on the original Miles Davis recording). Added to the mix are Selva Ganesh on Khanjira, Sridhar Parthasarthy on Mridangam and bellwether Taufiq Qureshi on World Percussion. All solo during this third (developmental) part. Wallace Roney's sound and conception fit into this recording like a great glove fits a hand. He does not imitate the exact nature of Miles Davis but he has all of the knowledge of the specific language to make positive and compelling musical statements. His total sound matches the intensity and complexity of the music that accompanies him. Throughout this entire project, Wallace most evokes the direct sound of Miles Davis in a beautiful and creative way. All of the notes fit into the mosaic. He finds the rhythm of the music and leads the intent of the performance. They were close as people and this does have an effect on the way one interprets the situation. If this recording were to feature anyone in particular, it would be Wallace Roney. After all, he's in the hot spot. After Wallace's trumpet solo (and a little break for Lenny White to project a bit) there ensues a flute solo by Rakesh and a blazing alto saxophone solo by Rudresh Mahanthappa. Following Rudresh, there is the traditional breakdown leading into a solo spot for the percussionists accompanied by the electric instruments, which leads into the recapitulation of the melody with a lingering coda accentuated by Mike Stern's aggressive guitar solo. The performance ends as it begins, with the fragment of melody that will transform into John McLaughlin's Miles From India.

     Another Miles Davis classic composition So What is taken to the original tempo, a slow groove. But the time signature has shifted to 9/4, which changes the way you realize the bass line and how one improvises around a 9 beat phrase structure. But with Chick Corea on piano, there is no doubt to the flexibility of this, the most well-known of all of Miles Davis's compositions. The performance begins with a ritual drum chant that is part of the tradition of drumming in India. It's kind of an intro to what is to come. Shakti used this phrase to begin their concerts in the 70s so there is a continuity to this idea. It's a simple arrangement, the statement of the bass melody and then the solos, with a breakdown for the drummers to dialog with Ron Carter and Chick Corea (who plays on the inside of the piano for percussive effect). Ron is the consummate musician and professional. He's always there. His sound dominates but that's what you want...someone to listen to for all the right notes and colors. He is able to adapt to any situation without losing himself in style of fashion. With Ron, there is a constant energy groove that comes from the combination of Ndugu Chancler and Selva Ganesh on Khanjira and vocals, Sridhar Parthasarthy on Mridangam and voice with Taufiq Qureshi on World Percussion. This is a dynamic ensemble that propels the momentum of the rhythm to inspire the soloists and to create a singular listening experience. These deep drums are used to great effect on Miles Runs the Voodoo Down. The groove is downright funky with Vikku Vinayakram's Ghatam and A. Sivamani's percussion driving Lenny White's funk beat. Lenny was on the original version from 1969, but as a percussionist, so in this version he now plays drums, reprising his concept from that classic recording but melding into the current music situation. This drive also inspires Pete Cosey to explore the outmost reaches of his expressive arsenal of thoughts and sounds.

     There are two versions of Ife. The slow version was just a rehearsal, not intended for release. I had prepared the faster version of the composition to be recorded but when they started jamming, it sounded like another way of doing Ife. So we ended up using two versions, one fast (done in Mumbai with other musicians added in the US) and one entirely done in the US (the slow version). The fast version has a rare flute solo by Dave Liebman, who has a distinct tone and harmonic language on the flute. He played the flute on a regular basis with Miles. Both versions feature two amazing figures in modern jazz, Pete Cosey and Michael Henderson. Pete is from Chicago and combines Chicago Blues with Jimi Hendrix into something completely unique and different (and he's developed this sound into the present day). Michael Henderson is an originator of a way of playing the electric bass that has never been fully understood nor been imitated. You can hear their natural affinity for Indian music (Michael and Baday Roy were in Miles's band in 1972). On the slow version of Ife, Dave Liebman and Badal Roy are reunited again. Both were members of Lookout Farm, one of the first bands from the US to travel and perform in India (during the mid-seventies). For the slow version, Liebman switches to tenor sax for his solo spot. The way the music sounds is very natural, as if these musicians just got off the road from a Miles Davis tour to record some music. Liebman's solo is a masterwork in how to play in such a loose, semi-defined setting. On the fast version, there is a dialog between Kala Ramnath and Pete Cosey that defies category as both musicians express a common energy in the music. Gino Banks, the son of Louiz Banks, is a young drummer, representative of what is now a new paradigm for emerging jazz musicians in India. Gino is well versed in modern jazz as well as his native music. He has a different openness to music and a real desire to create something new and exciting and more than holds his own with Mssrs. Liebman, Cosey and Henderson.

     The aria In a Silent Way is an ode to the transcendental nature of Indian music as its influence on Western music. Joe Zawinul's reference may have been a snowy night in the mountains of Austria but the serene emotion that this composition evokes is not exclusive to any specific culture or location. Pandit Brij Narain's sarod, a cousin to the sitar, sets the Indian mood from the start. Brij Narain is from a legendary music family in India and his father, Sarangi maestro, Pandit Ram Narain is considered one of the foremost Indian instrumentalists of all time. Melded forever as an intro to It's About That Time, the use of this simple melody to offset the raging energy of what follows, In a Silent Way proves its usefulness. The ensuing energetic It's About That Time is turned into a showcase for Pete Cosey, Gary Bartz and Kala Ramnath on Carnatic Violin. Kala's solo has a definitive focus on articulation and phrasing that pushes everyone to lock into the pulse. Bartz solos with ideas that are not cliches but melodies and Cosey is on fire, dancing in and out of the time and rhythm, playing with it and against it and at the same time orchestrating himself with the use of electronic attachments. It's a multi-layered concept that he's perfecting, added to his already formidable style. Ndugu is very tight with Henderson (they were bandmates with Miles in 1971) as they provide the motion to the performance.

     Besides "So What", "All Blues" and "Blue In Green", one composition that is very closely associated with Miles Davis is Jean Pierre. Originally recorded in 1981, this melody became a concert favorite and soon was considered a modern jazz standard. This version is truly a parallel mix of Indian and Western rhythmic and improvisation concepts. As a standard, the musicians associated with Miles played the composition as if they were still on stage. And yet, the Indian musicians all knew the music and took to it easily, and you can really hear the energy and enthusiasm of Rakesh Chaurasis's flute solo. The result is this mix that is both Indian and Western, not in an overt stylish way but in a comfortable and conversant approach that balances two cultural norms in the interpretation of the composition. Ranjit Barot plays off of Vince Wilburn's drum patterns as if they were part of one drum. Robert Irving III adds his mystery sounds that demonstrates his love of the synthesizers and keyboards in general. Robert was instrumental in bringing Miles Davis into the world of the synthesizer and his replacement, Adam Holzman, added more to this "new sound" of Miles Davis's band in the 80s. Adam plays on many tracks in a supportive role, adding bits and pieces of electric sound (using the Moog) but on Great Expectations/Orange Lady he gets a chance to do something rare for him; an acoustic piano solo spot, which he "shares" briefly with the bass clarinet of Marcus Miller. Marcus in most known for his electric bass and movie soundtracks but here he is showcased on his first instrument, the clarinet (bass clarinet to be exact). Vince Wilburn, Jr. provides the basic pulse for the track with a loose but solid groove. Vince was responsible for Miles returning to music in 1980 and performed and recorded with his uncle for many years, appearing on the classic Aura in 1985. We had Vince play two takes and used both of them to create a real stereo image but not an exact copy. This is a tip of the hat to Teo and his studio magic.

     The composition that closes the recording is Miles from India. Composed specifically for this recording, John McLaughlin's composition evokes the sound of both modern and ancient India, with the voice of Sikkil Gurucharan providing a haunting contrast for the modern piano sound of Louiz Banks. U. Shrinivas is a virtuoso on the Mandolin, having opened for Miles Davis at the age of 12. Here he shows a maturity and control of his instrument. John McLaughlin's sound and heart have expanded so much that he reflects his feeling about life in his music. His love of India is apparent both in lifestyle (he has a house in Madras) and in his music, as he has made many recordings and tours featuring Indian music and musicians. It is a fitting end of the recording, one of reflection and contentment.

     Let me say that Louiz Banks is a gem of a musician. His acoustic piano solos on "Blue in Green" and "All Blues" do not indicate his roots in Nepal nor his life of music in Mumbai, India. He sounds more like someone from Manhattan. And given the opportunity to play a Fender Rhodes, he took to this instrument like it was a longtime best friend, using the percussive and distortional sounds of the instrument to great advantage. He is a rare musician, completely cosmopolitan in outlook but fiercely loyal to his language and culture. Without his input and experience, as well as his wit and patience, this project would have been very ordinary.

     Our engineers deserve some special recognition. In Mumbai, Farhad Daddybojour was fantastic in tracking the Indian musicians. He got the right sound for the instruments so that it was very easy to add elements to the tracks to make a complete musical statement. His studio was very professional and completely up to date. Farhad is a master engineer and a great human being. In New York, Scott Noll demonstrated his mastery of the recording system in the ease of production in the making of this project. Scott and I have worked together since 1990 and have an ESP when it comes to how to plan sessions, record musicians, get a great sound and surmount technological obstacles that pop up when one is using cutting edge tools. We had to record in India, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Saylorsburg, PA, and then sync all of these "parts" into the "whole" that you are hearing. We used Skype, FTP sites and Drive swapping to accomplish this recording without leaving a large carbon footprint. Again, as with Louiz Banks in production, Scott Noll proved to be another indispensable artist on the recording. A sonic genius. Also due kudos to Mark Wilder, the legendary mastering engineer at Sony Music Studios in Manhattan. Mark and I worked together producing Miles Davis reissues for Sony for 10 years and he was a natural choice to master this recording. He gets the most out of a recording and is a true professional.

     There are many inspirations for this project, the first being Miles Davis. Without this anchor of art, one could not realize a concept such as this in an organized and creative way. Although Miles was not in the studio, he was there in that spiritual way. I did not say one word to the musicians as to what to do or how to play something. It was just understood. John McLaughlin was a constant source for input about musicians with Yusuf Gandhi and myself as well as being totally supportive in our efforts and we in our own way dedicate this project to his spirit. Before he passed away, Joe Zawinul and I were in communication about how to make "In a Silent Way" work by suggestions and providing inspiration for me to "follow this thing through" and it is in his memory that we included "In A Silent Way" and "Orange Lady". Of course it's an honor to be working with all of the musicians on the recording. And lest we forget, Teo Macero's use of technology gave the music of Miles Davis a unique form and texture and understandingÑthis production element gave me the freedom to be "unbound" by normal limitations in producing music and to let the final results speak for themselves and not the process.

     The biggest dedication is for Mr. Yusuf Gandhi. Mr. Gandhi and I have collaborated on many projects in the past and are in constant communication about making ideas happen. As it happened, we were discussing ideas of merging cultures at his office one afternoon. I was working on Miles Davis: The Complete on the Corner Sessions for Sony and mentioned to Yusuf the use of Indian instruments and musicians on this boxed set. I mused about what it would sound like if you could do Miles compositions with Indian musicians, and Yusuf turned to me, smiled and said "Miles from India". That was the germination for this project. A simple thought and a smile. What followed was 11 months of creating sounds that would be assembled into something tangible and physical, compelling and to the listener, enjoyable on many levels. This project was the first in a long time where I had complete control over the way things were done from a production side. Yusuf was totally supportive and never denied me a thing to create the music. He let me take my time (11 months) and was always in the studio with the engineers following what I was doing to incubate and nurture the development of the music.

     My visit to India did change the way I look at certain elements of what we call life here in the West. Things were never the same once I came back to NYC. I saw the world in a different way, a frantic and uncertain world. India, for a Westerner, makes one think of just what one has in life beyond the physical possessions that falsely define a society. You can see the rest of the world just by walking down a busy street in Mumbai. You can see people who have no apparent attachments to material things, walking in peace with those who brandish the tokens of an affluent society. In a way it was supposed to be. The trip to India. The experience of the life there, albeit so briefly. That is the mystery and power of India. The spirit is moved by unseen forces that have yet to be defined in the western sense of the word.

     None of this would have been possible if Miles Davis had not lived. But his sound, spirit and music live forever, and now it will thrive in India.

Bob Belden
February 2008, New York City