🎷 AotW: Jazz Miles Davis - KIND OF BLUE

[Captain Bacardi]

Miles Davis
KIND OF BLUE
Columbia Records

Released 1959

Produced by Teo Macero

Songs:

1. So What - 9:02​

2. Freddie Freeloader - 9:33​

3. Blue In Green - 5:26​

4. All Blues - 11:31​

5. Flamenco Sketches - 9:25​

​

All songs composed by Miles Davis​

​

Musicians:
Miles Davis - Trumpet
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley - Alto Sax
John Coltrane - Tenor Sax
Bill Evans - Piano
Wynton Kelly - Piano (2)
Paul Chambers - Bass
James Cobb - Drums

Recorded on March 2, 1959 and April 22, 1959 in New York City

Liner notes by Bill Evans

Available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kind-Blue-Mil...9775&sr=1-1&keywords=miles+davis+kind+of+blue




Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

It's possible I may have heard this album before.



My most recent purchase of this classic was on a Sony Legacy 180 gram LP pressing, and it sounds fantastic. My other two "good" versions are the Legacy SACD and the Legacy standard CD reissue from 1997 IIRC. What is interesting is that when the gold Mastersound CD was released, the incorrect speed on side 1 was fixed, and all releases past that date have the correct speed. On the 1997 release, an alternate take of "Flamenco Sketches" was included as a bonus track (and frankly, it is intrusive).

Musically I can't say anything further...can't improve perfection.

180g LP (and yes it looks much better in person):

 

[jazzdre]

I'm kind of surprised that this album is mentioned here at all, considering that it wasn't an A&M production, but at the same time I know why it's here: this album is considered to be one of the greatest jazz albums ever made. And rightly so, it does deserve the praise. It works on so many levels: it's the ultimate "smooth jazz" LP, it's the ultimate traditional jazz album,the ultimate progressive jazz LP-it's the ultimate! Not just jazz musicians and fans love this music, also rock musicians,pop musicians, even people in classical music love this album!

I guess we all know the legend of how Miles gave the musicians just sketches of notes that he composed, and had them improvise from that, and also how much influence that Bill Evans had in the direction of the album, but when you put on the album, it just takes your breath away. Miles' co-author on his autobiography,Quincy Troupe said that Miles told him that when you make music of this caliber that you must have the very best musicians who have their game so tight, that they will be able to push your vision thru with what you want to accomplish. And Miles had the best! Coltrane,Cannonball,Wynton Kelly,Paul Chambers,Jimmy Cobb(who autographed the booklet from the 1997 reissue cd for me;very nice man, by the way), and the aforementioned Bill Evans.

Also, in connection with this website concerning this album, Herb Alpert mention this LP as one of his top five favorite albums. High praise , indeed, and with an endorsement like that, that's why you all at least once,go and check this album out.

Til next time,
jazzdre

 

[Harry]

I'm kind of surprised that this album is mentioned here at all, considering that it wasn't an A&M production, but at the same time I know why it's here: this album is considered to be one of the greatest jazz albums ever made.

The Captain is doing a series of great jazz albums that weren't on A&M, just for a change of pace.

Harry

 

[jazzdre]

Thanks Harry, for the comment(and thank you Captain for the posting).It's just that we are so used to seeing A&M related material, that we forget it's mostly about the MUSIC, and not just about this great record label(A&M).Thanx again ,guys!

 

[Rudy]

We had run through the A&M jazz albums at least twice now...so it is nice for a change of pace.

This album (plus the Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays Wichita Falls album...and Lyle Mays' other recordings) eventually pushed me into the piano of Bill Evans. I can relate to the lyrical style that Evans brings to the piano, and this particular album. Wyn Kelly's contribution on "Freddie Freeloader" is fine as well, but it has a different feel to it.

As a testament to how much I know this album--I know almost every note. Literally! And it's not like I played it to death either. I like how the soloists were free to go off in whichever direction they chose. And you get a good idea for the personalities behind the horns, especially the difference between Cannonball and 'Trane.

 

[Dave]

I was thinking that these Jazz albums would be Non-A&M LP's by A&M Jazz artists myself, so this entry is quite a surprise...

But for those into the still-true Jazz period of Miles Davis, upping the notch on "ambition", but not quite ready for anything like Bitches Brew, this outing fits the bill nearly perfectly...

"Freddie Freeloader" does well what's supposed to, as well as "Flamenco Sketches"... --Highly recommended listening...


-- Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I was thinking that these Jazz albums would be Non-A&M LP's by A&M Jazz artists myself, so this entry is quite a surprise...

That was the plan, but as usual hardly anyone posts in the jazz forum so I decided to go another direction to see if anyone is alive out there.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

We don't have an A&M-only restriction in the forum. But it is interesting that many of us share the same appreciation for the same artists or music outside of A&M.

IMHO things get stale sticking to the same topic all the time.

 

[dostros]

Jazzdre says

Herb Alpert mention this LP as one of his top five favorite albums

I always suspected Kind of Blue had a big influence on Herb Alpert's tone and his "cool" approach to the trumpet. This confirms it!

 

[dostros]

I'll have to dig this album out again and listen to it before rating it, but I remember my thoughts after hearing it for the first time. It was one of those albums that I had heard about and read about for years before actually having been able to listen to it. I was probably a toddler when it came out, and 40 years later when I finally bought it I remember thinking it was a nice album, but wondering a bit what all the fuss was about.

It's the same phenomenon as with "Like A Rolling Stone", by Bob Dylan. There are some landmark albums that have just been cited to death in the music press (I suppose "Astral Weeks" by Van Morrison is another), but you kind of "had to be there" at the time of their release to get the full impact. All those artists I was already familiar with their later music, and probably all of those musical revolutions I had since heard being imitated by a hundred bands and artists that were inspired by those original breakthroughs.

In the case of Miles Davis, I was already familiar with Bitches Brew. I'll probably end up giving "Kind of Blue" 4 stars, because I lack the context to judge it other than just as a nice jazz album.

 

[Rudy]

I might relate to it more because I have a musical background (including some music theory). But others have listened even without that background and still relate to it. It may also depend on an individual's taste. I remember liking it when I first heard it, but it really didn't grab me as something out of the ordinary until I had probably played it a few dozen times over the course of two months. It just sort of crept up on me, in other words. I liked it enough to keep playing it at first...then I got hooked.

Sometimes my "desert island" discs happen that way. I can think of a few others where that happened.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I always loved this album for the contrast of styles among the musicians. Both Coltrane and Cannonball have moments where they play somewhat furious, then Miles comes in a plays 4 or 5 notes, and it's the coolest and hippest thing you ever heard. This is the first album where I finally understood about 'space' as part of playing. Miles was not about playing a zillion notes when just a few will do. His interplay with Bill Evans seems so effortless. Evans has a knack of playing only when necessary while he comps behind the soloists. Coltrane plays a gorgeous solo on "Blue In Green", one of the rare laid back moments by Trane. I think Wynton Kelly deserves some accolades as well for his piano work on "Freddie Freeloader". The rhythm section is solid as well, you don't really notice them. About as perfect a jazz album that anyone could hope for.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Miles was never known as a technician, although he could really rip it up if he wanted to (witness his earliest bebop styled recordings). He's a perfect example of "what you say" vs. "how you say it."

I would liked to have heard more from Miles and Bill Evans, in a smaller group setting. "Blue in Green" is classic Bill Evans.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Today - August 17th - marks the 53rd anniversary of the release of this album.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Thanks Harry, for the comment(and thank you Captain for the posting).It's just that we are so used to seeing A&M related material, that we forget it's mostly about the MUSIC, and not just about this great record label(A&M).Thanx again ,guys!

Belated reply here...

We don't have much of a jazz audience here, but you're more than welcome to start a thread here about it. I'm also reworking another site of mine, and migrating another forum over to it (which happens to be jazz). I have a technical issue to work out but beyond that, I was hoping to get it done in the next two weeks, or it will have to wait until May (as I have the Semester From Hell™ coming up in January).

 

[mikeargo]

Best. Record. Ever.

Mike A.

 

[alpertfan]

While off-top, I recently saw an old interview on YouTube in promotion for the Tutu album. The interviewer described it as, "New Age", which received a glare from Mr. Davis and a reply of, "What did you call it?"

 

[nightcat]

The song "Blue In Green" from this LP is a masterpiece. That was the coolest 5:26 the world has ever seen.

 

[Harry]

And you thought WHIPPED CREAM had a lot of releases. Check out this page with seventy some-odd releases of KIND OF BLUE:

http://www.kind-of-blue.de/seiten/boxen/miles_kob_box.htm

Harry

 

[Rudy]

And you thought WHIPPED CREAM had a lot of releases. Check out this page with seventy some-odd releases of KIND OF BLUE:

http://www.kind-of-blue.de/seiten/boxen/miles_kob_box.htm

Harry

I've only had six. The 180g vinyl reissue, a CD reissue from the 90s, the Legacy SACD, a used LP when I first discovered it in the early 80s, and the first two CD releases that sounded horrible. The latter three are long gone.