Recorded July 3, 1958 in Newport, Rhode Island. The '58 festival was a tribute to Duke Ellington, but in typical Davis style, he doesn't give a care and plays what he wants. The result is a smokin' live performance by the band that would record Kind of Blue within a year of this gig. However, this album is the exact opposite of Kind of Blue. Miles pulls out all the stops and the bebop set is fast, furious, and full of emotion. The band is frantic but cookin'. There are times when the band is trying to push boundaries and don't quite succeed, but in cases like this, the effort is more important than the result. Some might complain about the recording quality, but it was the '50s and outdoors, so I think it sounds pretty good, all things considered.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Tracks: Of course its all top notch, but today I'm groovin' on Straight No Chaser and Bye Bye Blackbird.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Purchased around the time of its 2001 re-release, when I was in full-on "Miles mode," a phase that lasted for several years in the early 2000's.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Panthalassa: The Remixes (1999)
The Complete Birth of the Cool (1998)
This Is Jazz, Vol. 8: Miles Davis Acoustic (1996)
Live Around The World (1996)
The Hot Spot: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1990)
Music from Siesta (1987)
In A Silent Way (1969)
Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall (1961)
Sketches of Spain (1960)
Kind Of Blue (1959)
Milestones (1958)
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