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Product Description
Review
Long held as the jazz album that even non-jazz fans will own, Kind Of Blue not only changed the way people regarded Miles, it changed the very face of music itself. Consistently rated not just as one of the greatest jazz albums but as one of THE greatest musical statements of the 20th century, its 46 minutes of improvisation and sophistication remain peerless.
In the early 50s George Russell had raised the possibility of using a modal approach (i.e. playing within a certain scale, as opposed to according to a fixed chord sequence) as a way out of the straightjacket that restricted improvisation. Miles, at this time, was in thrall to hard bop, but by 1958's Milestones he was ready to try the modal approach, the title track being his first recorded foray into the form.
Kind Of Blue, released the following year, took the idea and developed it to an astounding degree. Its smoky evocation of late night ambience is a byword for laid back elegance. It uses the blues but transmutes those seventh chords into something that still sounds modern 50 years on. Quite simply, the sonic space it creates sounds like the coolest place on the planet.
Key to the album's deceptive ease is the band that Miles had assembled. Honed to perfection were the sextet of saxophonists John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers and pianist Bill Evans (replacing regular Wynton Kelly on all but one track - "Freddy Freeloader"). All players were to have legendary careers, but it was Coltrane who took Miles' modal template and went furthest with it, with spectacular results.
Dispute still rages as to the role Evans had in the compositions (many regard him as at least a co-author, and he was an acolyte of George Russell's) but what we do know is that on the two recording dates that spawned this masterpiece, Davis, as usual, just laid out the song structures for the musicians on the day with no rehearsal (though "So What" and "All Blues" had been played live prior to this). From the opening murmur of the piano on "So What" to the final sad mute on "Flamenco Sketches", it never falters, despite its meandering pace. Even more miraculous, it never wears thin from repeat plays. Quincy Jones claims to play it every day. So should you. --Chris Jones
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Its, a blue world and all the better for it .,
By russell clarke "stipesdoppleganger" (halifax, west yorks) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Kind Of Blue (Audio CD)
Confession time .I used to watch the "Jazz Club " sketch in The Fast Show : Ultimate Collection (7 Disc BBC Box Set) [DVD] and laugh not so much like a drain but like an entire sewer system. You see the sketch was confirming what I ,d felt all along about jazz -that this was a haven for pretentious , head nodding pseudo cool types. Jazz I thought was music for people who don't actually like music at all. The thing is though I used to think something similar about reggae and I love reggae now. The trick you see is to jettison your presumptions, predispositions assumptions what ever you want to call them and start listening .
Which brings me to Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis. Now I have long been aware that this is an album held in extremely high regard but it's a jazz album so I wasn't interested. Then I got thinking about my reggae conversion , and my previous conversion to rap ( mainly brought about by listening to Public Enemy ) and I also thought about how much I like swing & jive which has jazz elements to it ( jazz purists please cease frothing at the mouth ) I also thought about how much I liked Melody Gardots recent album and that has definite jazz elements and a mate whose opinion I trust told me how much he liked Kind Of Blue so i thought I ,d take the plunge. Guess what ? ....Well it's a bit of a stupid question because you've seen the five yellow stars at the top of the review but I absolutely love Kind Of Blue. It has an ambience , atmosphere a tone and timbre I often look for in music .The sort of thing I often find in obscure pieces of ambient music , or experimental post rock or even filtering into more song based music like The Blue Nile or David Sylvian. There is a melancholy that has nothing to do with feeling maudlin or wallowing in misery .It is a kind of blue but it speaks of something else ,something alive and hopeful and yes ..something cool. Anyone looking for a erudite critique of Miles Davis music or an empirical placing of his influence both within the confines of jazz or the more expansive umbrella of music will not find it in this review. I could have added a bit of potted history of the album which is something I would normally do but that really is not the purpose of this review either . I am here dear reader to state that even if, like me you would normally rather let ants nest in your ears rather than listen to jazz to put aside your prejudice and give this album a listen. It,s terrific , it really is. It may also lead you to question your long held ( in my case certainly ) jazz aversion . And now on the back of this revelation i intend to investigate further . I have already bought Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and A Love Supreme [Deluxe Edition] and Mingus Ah Um are on my shopping list. Any other recommendations would also be welcome .Those ants will have to move out.... there is more jazz on the way . Still think "Jazz Club" is bloody funny though.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
kind of view.,
By
This review is from: Kind Of Blue (Audio CD)
It is a record I had some years ago, but lost it moving house.It is probably the best JAZZ record of all time.Play it & have a glass of red. Jack L
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It opened my ears!,
By Listener (N Yorkshire, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Kind Of Blue (Audio CD)
My thanks to the record shop who on a wet Friday night was playing this when I had gone in to buy some Bach! This is the perfect introduction to jazz for those like myself who have confined themselves to so-called "classical" music.
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