‘Kind Of Blue’ is probably the greatest Jazz album of all-time, and almost certainly the biggest selling. The all-star line-up features a horn section of Davis, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley. Drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassist Paul Chambers are joined by Bill Evans on piano in the rhythm section, except on ‘Freddy Freeloader’ where Wynton Kelly is in the piano seat. Davis brought the musical scores to the two sessions as little more than sketches of ideas and written just a few hours beforehand. In the best improvisational Jazz tradition, the band had little or no rehearsals and (though disputed) the first full takes were used. The modal ‘So What’ with its anthemic piano/ bass intro is one of Jazz’s most instantly recognizable compositions. ‘Freddie Freeloader’ is a substantive blues in the best tradition of the late fifties, whilst ‘Blue In Green’ is a typical haunting Davis ballad with his mute trumpet at its most melancholy. ‘All Blues’ is quite literally hypnotic, its simplicity being its charm combined with a beguiling 6/8-time signature. Davis’ sublime and plaintive playing proves the adage ‘why use ten notes when just one will do’. ‘Flamenco Sketches’ is another masterful composition, moody, intense and sparse and as its title suggest, explores Jazz’s fusion with Spanish music. Such a fusion would provide the foundation to Miles’ wonderful ‘Sketches Of Spain’ recorded later in the same year, 1959. ‘Kind Of Blue’ is timeless and continues to inspire Jazz, Classical and Rock musicians alike. Few albums are truly ‘Essential’, ‘Kind Of Blue’ certainly is.
Track listings:
-
01 So What by Miles Davis
-
02 Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis
-
03 Blue In Green by Miles Davis
-
04 All Blues by Miles Davis
-
05 Flamenco Sketches by Miles Davis
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.