Miles Davis never really rang my bell. I accept that to jazz enthusiasts that sounds like sacrilege - and probably is. Somehow I can't get my head around taking a tune and then making it incomprehensible. Don't care what kind of jazz you call it - Modern, Modal, Be-Bop, etc if the songs good enough then play it! So my opinion of davis's rendering is prejudiced. Bessie Smith's rendition is very early. It lacks the true 'bluse' spirit and soulfullness that her later work was noted for. Leon Redbone was a copy artist and therefore had a lot of other versions to work from. It is however probably the most accessible so I'll rate that one.
The Bessie Smith one is what I liked, I like the raw feel to it but get what you mean about it lacking something. I like some Jazz music but have to be in the mood for it (late night after a few usually) it's something that I ignored for a long time before I listened to Miles Davies - Bitches Brew and I got the feel for it.
Just can't get enough of this at the mo............ [video=youtube_share;AgJLb0Vqr-s]http://youtu.be/AgJLb0Vqr-s[/video]
