Buy different old and new artists. The album “Kind of Blue” is rated by many as the best jazz album of all-time. Miles Davis released Kind of Blue in 1959. Miles Davis has been a jazz artist and trumpeter for over 50 years.
Miles Dewey Davis III is an American jazz trumpeter. Davis is one of most influential and acclaimed jazz musicians and composers in history. Davis was a jazz musician who had a career that lasted nearly 50 years. He began as a member in Charlie Parker’s Bebop Quintet in 1944. Davis did not focus on his education during his adolescent days, but rather focused his attention on his career. Davis began recording in 1945. Miles was still developing at the time but Davis’s distinctive style was evident. On August 17, 1959, Davis released “Kind of Blue”, an album with his sextet. It was a further departure from the hard bop-style jazz of earlier works. The album was recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio, New York City on March 2nd and April 22nd, 1959. It was released by Sony on August 17, 1959. John Coltrane performed it, along with Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley’s alto saxophonist Julian Kelly, Paul Chambers’ bassist and Jimmy Cobb’s drummer. Bill Evans was featured on the majority of tracks.
Coltrane was the only player to achieve a legendary career. He took Miles’s modal template, and extended it with stunning results. “Kind of Blue”, the jazz recording, has never been able to achieve the same level of fame that it has over the years. This album has likely been responsible for converting more people to jazz. It was the place where many fans began their jazz journey.
I payed attention to the ease with which Coltrane played the tenor, as well as the way the song breathed. Miles Davis’ genius and Bill Evans’ piano performance are the foundation of this album.
The second song is called “Freddie Freeloader”. It’s a Blues tune that is more simple, but is still a beauty. I could hear Wynton enjoying himself, as he provided excellent accompaniment to the soloists. Cannonball made use of these changes with growling phrases. Bill Evans is at the center of Blue in Green. Anchored by an authoritative, yet subtle bassline, Evans creates a sound that Miles, Coltrane, and others can only whisper over.
Miles Davis, Bill Evans and others composed the third song “Blue In Green”. Evans started with a quick intro and then Davis played a solo. I thought his horn sounded like an injured lover in the dark, using a Harmon muted. Evans offers a thoughtful pause, followed by Coltrane’s all-too brief solo which demonstrates the sweetness of his tenor sound. Evans returns to the scene with a second interlude that sets Miles Davis up for his final statement.
The longest track, “All Blue”, is about 12 minutes long. The theme was introduced by a piano intro, followed by Davis’ mellow statement. Saxophones glided along. Miles Miles gave an elegant solo in the style of a jazz legend. This is a crisp, direct and efficient solo. Coltrane, on the other hand, swings his solo as he gets lost in the rhythm of Evans, Chambers and Cobb. Adderley’s alto sound like it was straight from the church into the studio. The blues and gospel elements are infused into the song. Cobb plays the drums behind Evans’ meditative improvisation. Miles uses the opportunity to add a few extra ideas as the band plays the theme one last time.
The final track, “Flamenco Sketches”, has 2 versions. This music piece was also released as an alternate version and countsed towards the album’s last track. This track is a beautiful sad piece that has a lot of “sketch”. The bass begins to sound as if it were slowly dying. Miles then plays a trumpet eulogy. It has an incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking feeling that makes it the perfect finale to this album. Miles Davis has used this track to make us smile and leave with lumps of our throats. This track is perfect. Like many others on the album, this one is just right. Some people think that All Blues & Flamenco Sketches titles were changed on the album recently. However, if Davis refers to it as Flamenco Sketches it’s proof it has been called this since the beginning. The new titles seem to better describe the pieces.
The best jazz album of all time is “Kind of Blue”. It has really got me hooked on jazz.
