Horswispr's Full Review: Kind of Blue [Remaster] by Miles Davis
One of the things that makes jazz music so interesting is the balance between structure and improvisation. Most jazz tunes have a certain metric structure, and a certain melody, which is introduced in the first few measures. Following this introduction, the players solo in turn, improvising over the metric structure and around the original melody, with the other players maintaining the rhythm and chord sequence, sometimes musically “conversing” with the soloist as he or she proceeds.
When the musicians are “in sync,” or “in the zone” as we might say today, amazing things can happen. It is communication at its best in a language most of us can only comprehend at an intuitive or emotional level.
Bill Evans, in his liner notes from the original 1959 Columbia release of Kind of Blue, writes that Miles Davis conceived the “settings,” or basic rhythmic and melodic structures, of the five songs on this album, “only hours before the recording dates and arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played. Therefore, you will hear something close to pure spontaneity in these performances.”
The result is unbelievable: one of the classic jazz recordings of all time.
The musicians on this album are:
Miles Davis, trumpet
Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, alto sax
John Coltrane, tenor sax
Wynton Kelly, piano (on Freddie Freeloader)
Bill Evans, piano (on all other cuts)
Paul Chambers, bass
Jimmy Cobb, drums
The tunes are:
So What
Freddie Freeloader
Blue in Green
All Blues
Flamenco Sketches
Flamenco Sketches (alternate take)
The overall feeling of the five pieces on this recording is one of relaxation, spontaneity, and communication. You can listen intensely to this music, and never get bored, and you can also turn the volume down and study or converse over it. The musicians seem to know each other well, and they anticipate each others' moves. And yet, there are one or two hesitations or places of uncertainty, adding to the feeling of spontaneity, as in a good conversation. Amazingly, all cuts on this CD are first takes. Evans provides details about the “formal character of the five settings” in the liner notes for those who want more detail about the structure of the five tunes presented here.
An interesting technical note about this Columbia Reissue: It represents the first time (except for the Gold Masterwork edition) that the first three songs sound as they were heard by the musicians in the studio. Apparently, the tape recorder used to produce side 1 of the original LP was running slightly slowly. As a result, when the tape was played on a properly functioning machine, and the pressings made, all pitches were slightly sharper (higher) than they had been in real life. This flaw has been corrected on the Columbia Reissue.
The fidelity of this reissue is also improved over previous reissues, which apparently sounded thin and harsh: Tube equipment similar to that used in the original recording process was employed, making the sound of this CD really natural and relaxing, especially when played on a good system.
Again, the overall mood of this CD is decidedly mellow or contemplative. I might not recommend it for night driving through Nevada or Utah, unless you're in that cruising "zone" where you're confident you can stay alert. Rather, I would recommend it for quiet evenings at home, either alone or with close friends.
Whether you are a jazz fan, a musician, an audiophile, or just someone looking for some quality mellow music, this CD is a Must Have for your collection.
Note: For another Must Have, please see my review of Keith Jarrett's The Cure, a live recording of Jazz Standards by Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette on the ECM label.
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