"Hip Skip" was originally recorded in the studio on November 6, 1974. This is one
of those cases where a tune is played live before it is taken into the studio.
Dominique Gaumont missed this show for some reason, so Cosey and Lucas are the only
guitarists.
The tracks are wrongly indexed on BOKN-1112:
- Funk (19:57)
- Untitled Tune (11:43)
- Calypso Frelimo (21:47)
- Untitled Tune (13:37)
Davis was in bad shape when the Octet returned from the South American tour. He
had missed at least one concert because of a drug overdose. Liebman was also interested
in leaving, having recorded his second ECM album, Drum Ode, just before
the tour. Davis eventually hired Sonny Fortune, and the Octet resumed touring --
e.g. Rochester's Lewiston Artpark (July 26); Paul's Mall, Boston (July 28-August 3),
Avery Fisher Hall, New York (September 13) -- but Davis' health precluded a busy touring
schedule.
A review of the Rochester performance noted that "although relatively few showed up to
see Miles Davis, Gordon Lightfoot sold out." The reviewer had trouble with the personnel:
I recognized only two members: Steve Grossman [sic!] played soprano
sax and electric flute, and Reggie Lucas worked on his guitar. There was Tall 'n' Skinny
on electric bass, Joe Rhythms on congas, Fatty the Pirate was the second guitarist and
percussionist, and Billyjack DeJoncobham was the drummer. There was an electric piano
sitting on the stage, but no one sitting behind it. I was hoping Lonnie Liston Smith
might have taken the wrong subway and was a little late. We would soon see.
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