Miles Davis's "Four" is one of the most frequently performed compositions in the jazz canon, a swinging 32-bar tune first recorded by Davis in 1954. Michael Mayo's interpretation on his 2024 album Fly reimagines this jazz classic with a funk feel at approximately 175 beats per minute in E-flat, applying the same genre-transforming approach he brings to other standards on the album. Mayo's one-chorus vocal improvisation over the ABAC form demonstrates his exceptional rhythmic command, as he navigates Davis's harmonically rich composition while locking into the funk groove with the precision of a seasoned instrumentalist. Bassist Linda May Han Oh follows with a full-chorus solo that is both melodically inventive and rhythmically compelling, her acoustic bass lines adapting seamlessly to the funk context while retaining the harmonic sophistication of jazz. The pairing of a vocal and bass solo creates an unusual sonic palette that adds variety to the album's program. By recontextualizing this mid-century bebop vehicle as a funk-inflected exploration, Mayo honors the spirit of innovation that characterized Miles Davis himself, who constantly reinvented his music throughout his career. This performance suggests that the best way to respect the jazz tradition is not to preserve it in amber but to keep pushing it forward into new territory.
