Miles was a medium, a transformer, a touchstone, a magnetic field; the authentic minimalist (where, although there were so few notes, there was so much in those few notes). No matter how much “noise” there was around him, Miles always came from silence, the notes existing in a purity all their own (the opposite of a vacuum, which is most of minimalism). Miles proved the impotency of the “technicians”, the potency of pure desire.

We are now left with a large hole in which every improviser should (must) question his/her purity of desire, for without a touchstone there is no reflective surface. This is why touchstones are so important, and also shows that in every age we need touchstones to keep the path illuminated enough that we don’t forget it is there (because we are so enamoured of “our” ability). Miles never forgot the music; we will never forget Miles

Keith Jarrett
Gary Peacock
Jack DeJohnette