Enough analysis of Miles has been done to the point where I don't think that anything I write about this CD will be adequate. This release documents the transition from blues-based bop to the modal way of writing that would reach its peak with Kind of Blue. Amazing. Is it sacrilegious to say that I enjoy Coltrane's playing on this disc more than that of Miles?
Davis - trumpet, piano (on Sid's Ahead), flugelhorn (on Milestones)
Paul Chambers - bass
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Julian "Cannonball" Adderey - alto saxophone
Red Garland - piano (all tracks except Sid's Ahead)
"Philly" Joe Jones - drums
Ratings/reviews:
- Stereo Review: "absolutely fascinating"
- High Fidelity: "warm, firmly formed, assertive lines with all the lyricism his admirers have long claimed for him."
- Billboard: "one of Miles Davis' best to date."
- CashBox: "slickly creative features"
- DownBeat: ★★★★
- The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
- The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★
- The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★★
Tracks: Difficult to choose, of course, but my current favorites (subject to change) are Sid's Ahead, Two Bass Hit, and Straight No Chaser.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I'm not fond of my college trumpet professor for many reasons, one of them being that I was not encouraged/forced to listen to Miles Davis when I was studying trumpet. I'd ask for a tuition refund, but then the university would probably revoke my degree. Also, when choosing names for my sons, I offered up the name Miles as a possibility, but that suggestion was quickly vetoed by my wife. Ah, well...at least I tried.
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