Kind Of Blue [Remastered] - Miles Davis > Reviews > A Masterpiece

Author's product rating:   

Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
Value for Money

Advantages:	It's Miles Davis at his best
Disadvantages:	Not long enough?

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The blurb on the back of this CD claims that K.O.B. is a “defining moment of 20th century music”… and they’re damn right it is.

The Sony Music 1997 version has 5 tracks on it ( 6 actually, but the extra is an alternative version of the Flamenco Sketches – Trk. 5) – and they are 5 of the most amazing jazz pieces in history. The way Miles Davis’ trumpet, John Coltrane’s tenor sax, and Julian Adderley, smooth together is an amazing feat of improvisation – that can never be repeated –ever. This is why every one should have this album. If you only have one jazz album – have this masterpiece.

It is hard to explain how well it works – but the musicians pick up a general riff , and improvise around it. The result is classic stuff.

It begins with possibly the most famous jazz pieces – “So What” , and goes on to a more harsh “Freddie Freeloader” – the sax. taking most of the improv. in these two tracks. There is then the shorter “Blue in Green” – where you really notice the style of Davis’s muted-trumpet. The fourth trk. is “All Blues” – another example of Davis’s talent – and then the “Flamenco Sketches”, where the sax takes over again.

Marvellous, wonderful stuff.
P.S. Quality and consis. of tracks should say Flawless - but it hasn't come up.