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Star People
Studio album with live recordings by
Miles Davis
ReleasedApril 1983
RecordedAugust 11, 1982 – February 3, 1983
GenreJazz fusion
Length58:35
LabelColumbia
ProducerTeo Macero
Miles Davis chronology
We Want Miles
(1982) 		Star People
(1983) 		Decoy
(1984)

Star People is a 1983 album recorded by Miles Davis and issued by Columbia Records. It is the second studio recording released after the trumpeter's six-year hiatus, the first to feature electric guitarist John Scofield, who was recommended by saxophonist Bill Evans, and the last to be produced by long-standing collaborator Teo Macero.

Bassist Marcus Miller, who would go on to produce future Davis sessions, plays on five of the tracks. Electric guitarist Mike Stern features on most of the pieces, and drummer Al Foster and percussionist Mino Cinelu round out the rhythm section. Davis played trumpet and Oberheim synthesizer simultaneously (without using overdubs), and also on separately recorded interludes for the over-18-minute-long blues "Star People".[1] The album was re-released as a part of the boxed set Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection in 2009, and was further remastered and reissued in 2022.

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[2]
Christgau's Record GuideA−[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz RecordingsStarStarStar [5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record GuideStarStarStarStar[4]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ((3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention))[6]

In a contemporaneous review, music writer Greg Tate wrote:

Now, what I've come to love about Star People is that it doesn't sound like Miles wants this band to become capable of anything but playing a simple blues. And while seeing Miles in concert recently made me think he was trying to reconstruct his mystique out of thin air, Star People reveals him capable of delightful self-parody. Like Picasso when he ran out of ideas, Miles has taken to enjoying poking a little fun at himself. So that on Star People we hear the innovator of modern music make a big to-do out of playing muted blues cliches over funk vamps that were old in 1970, hear him riotously romp through a cornball Tin Pan Alley variation like he was born yesterday, find him spurting soul band trumpet squeals in and out of a number whose head and rhythm arrangement come across like a cross between Basie, Bird, and James Brown. Moreover, we find Miles enjoying working with musicians not on the cutting edge, but on the backburner of bebop conservatism. [...] On the other hand, I'm not going to say the record doesn't swing when it wants to, and all in all it just may be the most accessible LP Miles has ever made. [...] Furthermore, when you stop and consider the source of this oldhat comedy routine, it kinda leaves you in stitches. (When genius mocks itself, what other response is there?)[7]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Miles Davis.

Side one
No.TitleRecording date and studio/venueLength
1."Come Get It"August 28, 1982 live at Jones Beach Theatre, New York11:22
2."It Gets Better"January 5, 1983 at Record Plant Studio, New York9:47
3."Speak"February 3, 1983 live at Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston, Houston8:24
Side two
No.TitleRecording date and studio/venueLength
1."Star People"September 1, 1982 at Columbia Studio B, New York18:44
2."U'n'I"September 1, 1982 at Columbia Studio B, New York5:55
3."Star on Cicely"August 11, 1982 at Columbia Studio B, New York4:23

Personnel

[edit]

Production

[edit]
  • Dr George Butler – executive producer
  • Teo Macero – producer
  • Don Puluse – recording and remix engineer at CBS Studios (New York City)
  • Jay Messina – recording engineer at Record Plant (New York City)
  • Ron Lorman – remote sound engineer
  • Bill Messina, Ken Robertson, Lou Schlossberg and Harold Tarowski – engineers
  • Mark Allison, Chris Murphy and Jim Rose – technician assistants
  • Joe Gastwirt – mastering at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs (New York City)
  • Miles Davis – "all drawings, color concepts and basic attitudes"
  • Janet Perr – cover design
  • John Berg – art direction
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Star People

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Star People is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis. It was released by Columbia Records in April 1983, marking Davis's second studio album following his return from a six-year retirement in 1981. Recorded between August 1981 and February 1983 at New York's Record Plant and Clinton Recording Studios, the album features a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock elements, with Davis on trumpet and synthesizer, alongside musicians including guitarists Mike Stern and John Scofield, bassist Marcus Miller, and drummer Al Foster. The album comprises eight tracks, including the 11-minute opener "" and the title track "Star People", showcasing Davis's evolving electric sound during his 1980s comeback period. It received positive critical reception for its energetic performances and blend of genres, peaking at number 67 on the chart. The cover artwork features an original drawing by Davis, the first such instance on one of his albums.

Background and Recording

Comeback Context

After retiring from music in 1975 due to severe complications—including ulcers, throat nodes, hip surgery, and —Miles spent six years in seclusion, grappling with personal demons that included depression. This period marked a profound hiatus for the jazz , during which he withdrew from public performances and recording, focusing instead on recovery amid ongoing physical and mental challenges. Davis staged a triumphant return in 1981 with live performances captured on the album We Want Miles, released by Columbia Records in 1982, which showcased his renewed vigor and reconnected him with audiences eager for his presence after the long absence. The success of these concerts and the album's reception propelled him back into touring, setting the stage for further creative exploration. Building on his earlier innovations in during the 1960s and 1970s, Davis sought to deepen his engagement with electric instrumentation and contemporary sounds. In 1982, following the momentum from , Davis formed a new band for his 1982–1983 tours, deliberately incorporating younger musicians such as saxophonist and guitarist to infuse fresh energy and perspectives into his evolving sound. This lineup, which emphasized electric influenced by rock and elements from his 1970s work, allowed Davis to experiment dynamically on the road. The album Star People was conceived amid these 1982 tours, reflecting Davis's motivation to push boundaries in fusion while adapting to his post-retirement vitality.

Studio and Live Sessions

The recording sessions for Star People spanned from August 1982 to February 1983, primarily at studio facilities in such as Columbia Studio B and the , with live performances captured at venues including the Jones Beach Marine Theater in , and the Cullen Auditorium at the in . Sessions began on August 11, 1982, at Columbia Studio B, where initial tracks like "Star On Cicely" were laid down, followed by further work on September 1, 1982, and January 5, 1983, at the , marking Davis's first use of that studio. The album incorporates a blend of studio and live recordings, with three tracks derived from live sources that were subsequently edited and overdubbed in the studio: "Come Get It," recorded on August 28, 1982, at the Jones Beach Marine Theater; "Speak," captured live on February 3, 1983, at the Cullen Auditorium; and elements of "U 'n' I" from similar period performances. The remaining tracks, such as "It Gets Better" and the title track, were fully studio-based, allowing for post-production enhancements. This hybrid approach reflected Davis's desire to capture raw energy while refining the sound through layering. Technical challenges arose from Davis's innovative instrumentation, including his trumpet processed through a wah-wah pedal for expressive, vocal-like tones and the Oberheim OB-Xa synthesizer for atmospheric keyboards, which required precise engineering to integrate with the band's electric setup. Producer Teo Macero addressed these by applying extensive overdubs and sonic treatments, such as effects on drummer Al Foster's kit, to create dense, textured layers without losing improvisational spontaneity; Macero's directive to engineer Jay Messina was simply to "keep the tape rolling" during jams. Davis's recovery from a stroke earlier in 1982 enabled these demanding sessions, though band changes, including bassist Marcus Miller's departure and John Scofield's addition in late 1982, added to the logistical complexities. Band dynamics centered on Davis's leadership of improvisational jams, guiding a core group featuring saxophonist , bassist (on most tracks), drummer , and percussionist Mino Cinelu, with guest guitarist contributing to the majority of tunes and Scofield appearing on select ones like "Speak" for added harmonic depth. This setup fostered a collaborative yet directed environment, blending rhythms with exploration during both studio takes and live captures.

Musical Style and Composition

Jazz Fusion Elements

Star People exemplifies post-bebop through its use of electric instruments, including guitars, synthesizers, and amplified bass, creating heavy grooves and extended improvisations that drive the album's 58:54 runtime. The music emphasizes atmospheric builds, with dense ensemble textures allowing for spontaneous interplay among the musicians, rooted in the electric explorations of the late and . A key innovation lies in Miles Davis's harmon-muted , which leads the with agile, melodic lines amid layers of , complemented by the integration of synthesizers like the and varied percussion that produce a futuristic, space-themed aesthetic aligned with the album's title. This approach refreshes earlier fusion experiments, incorporating 1980s pop and rock edges through driving rhythms and chromatic elements. The album draws from Davis's 1970s work, such as the electric innovations on , but updates them with prominent funk bass lines from and complex, interlocking rhythms provided by drummer and percussionist Mino Cinelu, evoking a sense of propulsion and density. Davis's return from infused the sessions with renewed , channeling this into a fusion style that blends with structured grooves. Thematic unity emerges through the tracks' evocation of cosmic exploration, reinforced by titles like "Star People" and sonic textures such as echoing synthesizer effects and modal scales that create expansive, otherworldly atmospheres across the album.

Individual Tracks

The album Star People features six tracks that highlight Miles Davis's innovative blend of live energy and studio experimentation during his 1980s comeback period. Each song demonstrates distinct compositional elements, from extended improvisations to concise grooves, drawing on the ensemble's electric instrumentation to drive rhythmic intensity. "Come Get It" (11:22) serves as the live opener, characterized by an aggressive funk-rock riff that establishes a high-energy foundation for the album. Davis's trumpet solos dominate, weaving dynamically over John Scofield's sharp guitar lines, creating a sense of urgent propulsion through layered rhythmic interplay. This track was recorded on August 28, 1982, during a live at Jones Beach Theatre in New York, capturing the band's raw onstage synergy without extensive post-production. "It Gets Better" (9:47) shifts to a studio groove, built around layered synthesizers that provide a textured backdrop for the evolving . Bill Evans's adds melodic warmth and fluidity, while the track emphasizes building intensity through repetitive motifs and gradual dynamic swells, reflecting Davis's interest in hypnotic, escalating structures. The composition originates from improvisational ideas transcribed and arranged during pre-production sessions. "Speak" (8:24) is a live modal exploration that unfolds as a between instruments, with Davis employing wah-wah effects on his to create expressive, vocal-like phrases in conversation with Evans's . The track's structure prioritizes open-ended within modal frameworks, allowing for spontaneous interplay among the horns and . It was captured on February 3, 1983, during a live performance at Cullen Auditorium, , in , , preserving the immediacy of the performance. The title track "Star People" (18:44) stands as the album's epic centerpiece, infused with bluesy undertones that ground its expansive form in emotional depth. Extensive improvisations dominate, augmented by overdubs that enrich the harmonic layers, including Davis's trumpet leading multisectional builds from introspective themes to climactic peaks. This studio recording, dated September 1, 1982, showcases the full band's cohesive yet adventurous dynamics. "U'n'I" (5:55) offers a shorter, introspective contrast, featuring minimalist percussion that underscores a contemplative mood through sparse arrangements and subtle harmonic shifts. Mino Cinelu's conga work provides rhythmic nuance and texture, highlighting the track's focus on intimate dialogue between Davis's muted and the . Like the title track, it was recorded on September 1, 1982, in a studio setting that emphasizes restraint and space. Closing the album, "Star on Cicely" (4:23) is a gentle piece dedicated to Davis's wife, actress , serving as a tender resolution with Mike Stern's guitar delivering warm, lyrical lines over a laid-back groove. The track's structure balances subtle funk pulses with melodic simplicity, evoking personal reflection amid the album's bolder explorations. It stems from the earliest session on August 11, 1982, marking an initial spark in the recording process.

Release and Reception

Commercial Performance

Star People was released in April 1983 by Columbia Records under catalog number FC 38657. The album marked Davis's continued resurgence following his 1981 return to music, building on the commercial momentum from his previous release, We Want Miles. Commercially, Star People achieved modest success, peaking at number 136 on the Billboard 200 chart in May 1983 and spending seven weeks on the listing. It fared better within the jazz genre, reaching the upper echelons of the Top Jazz Albums chart and underscoring its appeal to a dedicated jazz fusion audience amid the style's waning mainstream popularity in the early 1980s. Initial sales were tempered by the niche market for fusion, though the album's performance reflected steady interest from Davis's established fanbase. Promotion for the album centered on Davis's rigorous 1983 world tour, which encompassed dates in Japan, Europe, and North America, including high-profile stops like the Berlin Jazz Festival and Montreal International Jazz Festival. The tour featured material from Star People, helping to drive visibility and sales. Additionally, the title track received limited radio play, tying into broader media narratives around Davis's artistic comeback. Over time, the album has maintained enduring sales in select international markets, contributing to its status as a key entry in Davis's electric period catalog.

Critical Reviews

Upon its release in 1983, Star People received positive notices from critics who highlighted its accessibility and Miles Davis's playful engagement with his own stylistic history. In a review for The Village Voice, Greg Tate praised the album as "the most accessible LP Miles has ever made," appreciating its self-parody through Davis's muted blues clichés and cornball Tin Pan Alley variations, which conveyed a sense of enjoyment in poking fun at himself, alongside the energy of simple blues lines over funk vamps. Tate noted the bebop conservatism of guitarists Mike Stern and John Scofield, which allowed the music to swing effectively when intended. Contemporary ratings reflected this enthusiasm for Davis's post-retirement return. Robert Christgau awarded the album an A− in his Village Voice Consumer Guide, describing it as "funky and spacious and, in its own terms, adventurous," while emphasizing that it functioned as "the band's record" with Davis reining in the ensemble for cohesive results, including Stern's unfused blues duties and Scofield's added muscle. later rated it 4 out of 5 stars, with Jason Ankeny calling it a "triumphant return." The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (1999) also gave it 4 out of 5 stars, recognizing its strengths within Davis's electric period. Retrospective assessments position Star People as a key bridge in Davis's 1980s output, following and preceding more pop-oriented works like You're Under Arrest. Critics have lauded the evident band chemistry, particularly the interplay among Davis, Scofield, Stern, and saxophonist , which contributed to its vitality and sense of renewal after Davis's retirement. However, some reviews critiqued elements of overproduction in the fusion arrangements, with Jazz Journal noting the "rather messy production" that amplified the album's improvised feel at the expense of tighter composition. Common themes across evaluations include appreciation for Davis's reenergized trumpet work and the album's experimental lengths, such as the nearly 19-minute title track, evoking the expansive structures of earlier compilations like .

Personnel and Production

Musicians

The core ensemble on Star People featured as bandleader, performing on all tracks and contributing and overdubs on select pieces, where he directed the group's improvisational flow. His work often pierced through the dense fusion arrangements with signature muted tones, while his layers added atmospheric depth, particularly in extended jams. Bill Evans handled soprano and tenor saxophones across most tracks, emerging as a key soloist on "It Gets Better" with lyrical, emotive lines that highlighted the album's bluesy undercurrents, and on "Speak," where his improvisations intertwined with the dual-guitar interplay. Absent from the live recording of "Come Get It," his contributions elsewhere provided melodic counterpoints to Davis's trumpet. John Scofield served as the primary ist on tracks 2 ("It Gets Better") and 3 ("Speak"), delivering funky, syncopated riffs that infused the sessions with rock-inflected energy and inspired the development of "It Gets Better" through transcribed solos. His playing emphasized rhythmic drive and textural variety in the album's fusion framework. Mike Stern played on most tracks, excluding "It Gets Better," and brought blues-inflected phrasing to pieces like "Star People" and "U'n'I," where his solos added gritty, emotive edges to the grooves. His consistent presence anchored the band's electric sound. Marcus Miller provided electric bass on tracks 1 ("Come Get It"), 2, 4 ("Star People"), 5 ("U'n'I"), and 6 ("Star on Cicely"), laying down the groove foundation with elastic, funk-rooted lines that propelled the rhythm section. His bass work was essential to the album's propulsive energy. Al Foster manned drums on all tracks, delivering driving rhythms that balanced the fusion's intensity with precise, swinging propulsion across live and studio cuts. Mino Cinelu added percussion throughout, incorporating congas, shakers, and other elements to build textural layers that enriched the polyrhythmic complexity. As a guest, Tom Barney played electric bass on track 3 ("Speak"), supporting the unique dual-guitar configuration with Stern and Scofield in that live performance.

Production Process

The production of Miles Davis's Star People was led by longtime collaborator as producer, who focused on editing live recordings, incorporating overdubs, and sequencing the tracks to create a cohesive fusion of studio and live elements. Macero's approach emphasized sonic experimentation, including directing the treatment of drum sounds and ensuring the album's rhythmic drive aligned with Davis's improvisational style. Executive producer Dr. George Butler supervised ' oversight of the project, facilitating the integration of Davis's evolving band dynamics into the final product. Arrangements were provided by on select tracks. The engineering efforts were handled primarily by Don Puluse for mixing at in and Jay Messina for capturing live sessions at the ; multi-track techniques were employed to layer Davis's trumpet with effects, enhancing the album's textural depth. Post-production involved rigorous editing of live tapes from sessions spanning August 1981 to February 1983, with synth and percussion overdubs added during January and February 1983 to refine the arrangements. The album was mastered by Joe Gastwirt, resulting in a total runtime of 58:35 that balanced Davis's raw performances with polished production. Art direction came from John Berg, whose design incorporated Davis's original drawings to evoke abstract cosmic themes central to the album's title and concept.

Legacy and Reissues

Cultural Impact

Star People played a pivotal role in Miles Davis's legacy by signifying a period of stabilization following his 1981 comeback from a six-year retirement, during which his health had improved, allowing for renewed creative output. Recorded between August 1982 and February 1983, the album featured Davis collaborating closely with younger musicians, including guitarist , whom he brought into the band in November 1982 on the recommendation of saxophonist . This partnership showcased Davis's practice of elevating emerging talents, as Scofield's contributions—such as the solo that formed the basis of the track "It Gets Better"—helped propel his career into the forefront of , leading to leadership roles in subsequent projects. The album contributed to the broader evolution of electric jazz in the , blending , , and fusion elements with complex harmonies and synthesizers to advance the genre's experimental boundaries. Tracks like the title song highlighted Davis's energetic trumpet work alongside gritty rhythms, reflecting his ongoing innovation in during a decade when peers explored similar rock and electronic integrations. By the mid-, Davis had solidified his image as an elder statesman in , having influenced the music for over four decades through such boundary-pushing recordings. Star People has received long-term recognition in Davis retrospectives, underscoring its enduring significance within his discography. Included in the 2009 boxed set The Complete Columbia Album Collection, which compiled over 50 albums from his Columbia tenure, the release affirmed its place among his essential electric-era works. It also appeared in the 2022 Bootleg Series volume That's What Happened 1982-1985, which featured previously unreleased material from its sessions, further highlighting its importance in documenting Davis's late-career developments.

Later Editions

The album received its debut in 1984 through , marking the transition of Miles Davis's catalog to digital formats in and the . During the , several reissues appeared, including a 1997 Legacy edition on that featured minor remastering for improved playback on digital systems. A Japanese limited edition remastered followed in 1996, emphasizing high-fidelity reproduction with paper sleeve packaging. Star People was included in the expansive 2009 Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection, a 70-CD compiling his entire Columbia output, which provided collectors with a high-quality remastered version alongside comprehensive . In 2022, Columbia/Legacy released a high-resolution audio remaster, enhancing overall sound quality and dynamics for modern listening; it became available in vinyl, streaming, and digital formats, with the Vinyl Me, Please. edition pressing it on 180-gram double LP. While no major alternate studio mixes have been officially issued, bootleg recordings of live extensions from 's 1983 tours circulate among fans, capturing extended improvisations on album tracks. Additionally, the 2022 release of Miles Davis: That's What Happened 1982-1985 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7) incorporated related outtakes from the Star People recording sessions, offering unreleased material from that era.

References

  1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/star-people-mw0000023240
  2. https://www.discogs.com/master/65118-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  3. https://www.milesdavis.com/albums/star-people/
  4. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/29/nyregion/miles-davis-trumpeter-dies-jazz-genius-65-defined-cool.html
  5. https://www.milesdavis.com/timeline-1981/
  6. https://www.milesdavis.com/albums/we-want-miles/
  7. https://www.thelastmiles.com/miles-davis-star-people-an-album-primer/
  8. https://www.jazzdisco.org/miles-davis/catalog/
  9. https://www.discogs.com/release/2129398-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  10. https://www.jazzjournal.co.uk/2024/11/29/jj-11-94-miles-davis-agharta-pangaea-the-man-with-the-horn-we-want-miles-star-people-decoy-youre-under-arrest/
  11. https://reverb.com/news/why-miles-davis-wahd
  12. https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2023/10/30/jj-10-83-miles-davis-star-people/
  13. https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/miles-davis-15-essential-albums-240865/
  14. https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/miles-davis-and-the-invention-of-fusion/
  15. https://www.discogs.com/release/2110128-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  16. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-02-01/cicely-tyson-miles-davis-love-story-marriage
  17. http://tsort.info/music/ffv0ef.htm
  18. https://www.thelastmiles.com/miles-davis-timeline-1983/
  19. https://burningambulance.com/2012/03/26/miles-davis-in-the-80s/
  20. https://timjam.es/TateMiles.html
  21. https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=12070
  22. https://www.discogs.com/release/4341911-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  23. https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1078-a-guide-to-1980s-miles-davis/
  24. https://www.billmilkowski.com/post/miles-davis-that-s-what-happened-1982-1985
  25. https://mikecrutcher.com/john-scofield-rips-it-up-with-the-miles-davis-band/
  26. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/16/magazine/miles-davis.html
  27. https://www.milesdavis.com/albums/the-complete-columbia-album-collection/
  28. https://www.legacyrecordings.com/2022/06/17/miles-davis-thats-what-happened-1982-1985-the-bootleg-series-vol-7-coming-september-16/
  29. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/miles-davis/star-people/
  30. https://www.discogs.com/release/5161360-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  31. https://www.discogs.com/release/25168573-Miles-Davis-Star-People
  32. https://open.spotify.com/album/2j4kRyY7kLm9NuciAHyzg5
  33. https://www.milesdavis.com/news/miles-davis-thats-what-happened-1982-1985-the-bootleg-series-vol-7-coming-september-16/
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