An acoustic guitar interludes segues into "Mesa D'Espana", a softer, mildly Spanish flavored song where Liebman treats listeners with some wooden flute work before switching to soprano sax and trading some subdued but sublime licks with Stern.
Coming after an electric guitar interlude, "JB Meets Sly" may be the track that comes closest to a tune Miles would have likely played during Liebman's tenure in his band. Mainly because it sports a heavily staccatoed rhythm, super-funky bass line and everyone else just soloing freely on top of it.
All told, this is a well played album with no real bad songs. But it's missing that vibe. You know, that Miles vibe. Harmony and melody don't really get dominated by rhythm and texture, which was the aforementioned stated main premise of this record.
So is this a recommended album? If you're a Liebman fan, yes. Stern fans, too. Eletric Miles fans might prefer, for example, Mark Isham's Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project because it just sounds more like a Miles Davis rock-jazz record. Back On The Corner sounds more like a Dave Liebman record. But if you were looking for a good, recent Liebman fusion effort, the more adventurous Flashpoint, which also includes Anthony Jackson, is a tad better choice overall.
Track Listing, with listening samples:
1. 5th Street
2. Ife
3. Bass Interlude
4. Black Satin
5. Bela
6. Drum Interlude
7. New Mambo
8. Acoustic Guitar Interlude
9. Mesa D'Espana
10. Electric Guitar Interlude
11. J.B. Meets Sly/5th Street Reprise
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
very nice pico. i might have to get this just to hear Mike "Fat Time" Stern again.
my favorite Dave Liebman is Elements: Water. the fact that Pat Metheny plays on it has nothing to do with it. no, really!! ;-)
2 - Pico
Thanks, Mark. "Fat Time"...one of my all time favorite rock guitar solos (didn't care much for the rest of The Man With The Horn, however). Miles sure had a way of getting the best from his players.
3 - Mark Saleski
i sort of like Man With The Horn only because it was one of the first 'weird' Miles records i purchased.
my favorite Mike Stern playing on a Miles record is probably on We Want Miles
seeing Stern live is a blast. way better than most of his Studio records. "chops of doom" indeed.
4 - Pico
Ha, The Man With The Horn was my first "weird" (or electric) Miles, too. I guess it had enough merit to encourage me to investigate further. I'm sure glad that I did.