Miles Davis reissue collections on Columbia/Legacy have been abundant in recent years thanks to a deep vault of music recorded during his lengthy Columbia tenure. Highlights from last year include five double-CDs from Davis' 1970-1974 fusion days where the trumpeter genius exhibited (in the words of keyboardist Chick Corea writing in the liner notes of Black Beauty) "a constant demonstration of creative disagreement with the status quo." Earlier this year, Columbia/Legacy released The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings 1965-68, a 6-CD gold mine of material recorded by Davis' second legendary quintet starring keyboardist Herbie Hancock, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams - all young and relatively inexperienced at the time, yet destined for greatness. Producer Bob Belden, who is spearheading the Columbia/Legacy reissue series of the Davis catalog, is especially proud of the quintet box. "They don't make music like this anymore. This is a great band with great musicians. They deserve the best possible reissue treatment." As the Miles vault keeper, Belden spends a significant amount of time researching tapes (finding the masters as well as session reels) then remixing and mastering the music. He reports that more Davis sets are on the way, including the eagerly awaited reissue of Bitches Brew. It will be expanded from its original 2-CD package to a 4-CD boxed set with previously unissued material. Recorded between August 1969 and February 1970, the album is praised by the Penguin Guide to Jazz as "one of the most remarkable creative statements of the last 50 years, in any form." Release date is tentatively set for this fall. In the spring of 1999, expect to see a 3-CD version of In a Silent Way, recorded between September 1968 and February 1969. "In a Silent Way was a precursor, a bridge to Bitches Brew," says Belden. "This was a great period when Miles was showing off his use of the latest studio technology. But even more importantly, Miles was stretching the music of the time, bringing a 20th century avant garde approach to rock." Belden was also involved in Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969-1974, a Columbia Jazz project by noted producer Bill Laswell. Using newly restored performances and never-before-heard excerpts from In a Silent Way (1969), On the Corner (1972) and Get Up With It (1974), Laswell has created a remarkable yet controversial reconstruction and modern mix translation of music from Davis' post-'67 electric period. He fattened the bottom end of the sound mix, smoothed over edits and melded tracks together to create a hypnotic and grooving free flow of music. In doing so, Laswell makes a strong case that Davis was a hip hop as well as ambient music pioneer. "This is a celebration of Miles," says Belden, who helped Laswell track down the original multi-track tapes. "Bill remixed the music to give it a 1998 sound. Miles' work lives on as a result." As for criticisms that Laswell was tampering with masterpieces, Belden says, "Miles never expected his music from this period to have a fixed point of view. He understood this because he was always changing himself. This is great music that you can hear in a variety of ways depending on where you listen to it. It will have a different sound whether you listen to it on headphones, while driving or as background music." In working so intensely with Miles Davis music, has Belden come up with any insights on the trumpeter and bandleader? "For the most part, Miles didn't do very many alternate takes when he was recording. He didn't need to. Once he and the band were warmed up and going, they wouldn't need to spend a lot of extra time in the studio. When Miles was on, all it took to record a tune was one take."

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