The Second Coming

Occasionally, a group will come along that stands out among its peers, leaving an indomitable musical legacy. In 1964, Miles Davis brought together something truly special with his second classic quintet of Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams. Always possessing a keen eye for young talent, Davis saw the potential in each musician. Herbie Hancock, 22, was a child prodigy who had already recorded two solo records by the time he joined Davis. Ron Carter was a complete bassist with extraordinary technique, who had earned a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Tony Williams was another phenom who was performing professionally around his hometown of Boston by the age of 13. After trying sax players Sam Rivers and George Coleman, Miles finally snagged the guy he really wanted: tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Shorter had been a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers since 1959, but he finally relented to Davis' overtures and joined him in early 1964, completing the quintet. According to Hancock, when he called Williams to tell him that Miles wanted them in his group, Tony screamed with excitement, "like a little kid, which he was-- he was 17 at the time..." Hancock also said that "It was always a joy to play with Miles... it was always full of risks, full of mystery... we loved getting lost and having to make something almost out of thin air." Many critics consider this group the finest small jazz combo ever, and they continue to leave a profound and lasting effect on subsequent jazz musicians. The quintet recorded their first studio album E.S.P. in January 1965, and although it didn't quite match their following albums in power and creativity, it formed the embryo of what would be born in the next two years. E.S.P. also introduced seven original compositions; until that time, Miles had been playing old standards for many years. This new group were not only talented musicians, but excellent composers as well. Each member contributed a song to the album except for Tony Williams. The quintet would not make another record for almost two years due to Miles' deteriorating health, but when they did, it was well worth the wait.