Miles Davis was a
unique musician and one of the three most
influential trumpeters throughout the
history of jazz – the others being Louis
Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. However,
he differed greatly from Armstrong and
Gillespie in as much as he performed with
more emotion and abstraction, and his
approach to phrasing, especially space,
was second to none.
The ten tracks are
selected from nine albums – numbers 5
& 10, All Blues and So What
are taken from the 1959 album All Blue.
That complete album is acknowledged as
a modal jazz masterpiece. Over forty years
since it was recorded the album continues
to generate new followers and is a vital
component in any serious jazz collection.
Bearing in mind the number of albums there
is no point in trying to place one above
the other. But what there is here is sufficient
material to whet the appetite and encourage
the listener to take a much deeper look
into this exciting period of Miles Davis’
career.
Davis’ selection
of accompanying musicians includes several
who have also made their mark on jazz
– John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley,
Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea and Herbie
Hancock. The titles vary from popular
pieces – Bye Bye Blackbird and
Summertime to the complex Pinocchio
and Miles Ahead.
This is a very interesting
selection of material and is highly recommended.
Jack Ashby
CD Reviews
COL 516423-2
