Hard Miles

In the '50s, the party line among New York jazz critics was that hard bop was the "true faith" and that cool jazz was lightweight and unemotional. But Miles Davis knew better. The trumpeter (whose Birth of the Cool sessions of 1949-1950 proved to be incredibly influential) was smart enough to realize that cool jazz and hard bop were equally valid parts of the house that Charlie Parker built, and he had no problem working with cool jazzmen one minute and hard boppers the next. Recorded for Charles Mingus' Debut label in 1955, Blue Moods is an excellent example of cool jazz.

Miles Davis - E.S.P. (1965) {2006 DSD Japan Mini LP Edition Analog Collection SICP 1215}
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© 1965, 2006 Sony Music Japan / Columbia | SICP 1215 | DSD | HQD High Quality Disc
Jazz / Hard Bop / Modal Music / Trumpet

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet – saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams – gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz's avant-garde.

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet – saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams – gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Allmusic

Miles Davis - In Person Friday Night At The Blackhawk, San Francisco Vol.1 (1961) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 3963}
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© 1961, 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3963
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Hard Bop / Trumpet

Reissue with latest remastering. Comes with new liner notes. The first of two sets recorded during a weekend in 1961 features the Miles Davis Quintet at a period of time when Hank Mobley was on tenor and the rhythm section was comprised of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. What is most remarkable is the way Kelly fits into this particular blend of the Miles band. Kelly's interplay with Chambers is especially brilliant, because his sense of blues phrasing inside counterpoint harmony is edgy and large, with left-hand chords in the middle register rather than sharp right-hand runs to accentuate choruses.

Kind of Blue isn't merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it's an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue possess such a mystique? Perhaps because this music never flaunts its genius. It lures listeners in with the slow, luxurious bassline and gentle piano chords of "So What." From that moment on, the record never really changes pace – each tune has a similar relaxed feel, as the music flows easily. Yet Kind of Blue is more than easy listening. It's the pinnacle of modal jazz – tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality. All of this doesn't quite explain why seasoned jazz fans return to this record even after they've memorized every nuance. They return because this is an exceptional band – Miles, Coltrane, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb – one of the greatest in history, playing at the peak of its power.

"Workin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige LP7166) showcases the Miles Davis Quintet with John Coltrane & Red Garland in top form. Upon his unexpected success at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival, Miles received a tempting offer to join the major label Columbia Records. In order to move to that label, he had to fulfill his previous contract with Prestige producing a couple of marathon sessions that resulted various LPs. Among the best of them is"Workin’" with the Miles Davis Quintet. Also included here in its entirety is the quartet album "The Musings of Miles" (Prestige LP7007). It was recorded the previous year with Garland again on piano.