Daddy Top Sergeant Miles Breeds Oliver Hunt

What a treat! An incredible compilation for those Davis fans who love his cooler bluesy/modal material. The brilliant producer Michael Cuscuna has combed through the early Davis "Birth of the Cool" sessions (1950), several Blue Note sessions in 1952 and 1954, plus one cut from the classic Adderley/Davis album Somethin' Else to create a cool blues compilation of Davis' stuff stripped of all the bop up-tempo elements. The result is a precursor to Kind of Blue, an album that shows all of the bluesy cool Miles Davis that many of us are so very fond of. Don't miss it.

Sound Pieces features Oliver Nelson in two very different settings. Although best-known as an altoist and a tenor saxophonist, Nelson sticks exclusively to soprano throughout the set. He leads a 20-piece big band on three of his compositions which, although interesting, are not overly memorable. Best are five other numbers (two of which were originally issued on the record Three Dimensions) that showcase Nelson's soprano playing with a quartet that includes pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate. Although one would not think of Nelson as a soprano stylist, his strong playing actually put him near the top of his field on such numbers as "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Straight No Chaser," and his own "Patterns."