If there is a definitive turning point in the history of modern music, it is Bitches Brew (1970). After flirting with electricity in In a Silent Way, Miles Davis fully submerged himself into uncharted territory. He abandoned traditional jazz structures and assembled a ‘superband’ for recording sessions that felt like rituals of collective improvisation.
The result was a dense blend of African rhythms, funk syncopation, and the raw distortion of psychedelic rock. Beyond the music performed, the album broke new ground in post-production: producer Teo Macero utilized tape loops and splicing to structure the lengthy jams, turning the studio into a compositional instrument itself. Hated by purists and hailed by the avant-garde, Bitches Brew proved that jazz was a living organism, capable of absorbing the energy of the streets and new technologies alike.