[Nezer]

Lately I've *really* been digging "Kind of Blue" and I've heard some other Miles Davis on some jazz stations lately.

I really dig the 'standards' where there is an intro, solos, and then the cadence.

Any recomendations on Davis (or others)?

 

[2 channel]

Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain" is pretty outstanding! Also check out Porgy and Bess.

Beyond that, You definately should get Dave Brubeck "Time out"

Chrles Mingus is pretty cool too..."blues and Roots" is one of my favs.

Thelonius Monk also worth checking out..The Ken Burns disc is pretty good.

I'll let coolvij comment on Coltrane as he is MUCH more qualified than me!

enjoy your exploration!

2

 

[mrselfdestruct]

hmm, well since you like Kind of Blue, the next logical step in my opinion is Round Midnight and Sketches of Spain. Spain is arranged by Gil Evans and done with an orchestra, completely different feel from Kind of Blue, but also incredibly recorded. after that id highly recommend Miles Smiles, my favorite Miles album, still all acoustic, but with his later quintet (Herbie on keys, Tony Williams on drums). then theres the electric period: Bitches Brew (absolutely crazy), In a Silent Way (definitely more palatable, but earlier and no less revolutionary), Tribute to Jack Johnson (miles' rock album), On the Corner (insane drumming), etc., etc.

oh yeh and check out Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage, not nearly as sparse as kind of blue, but similar explorations of themes

and definitely, if you havent heard them yet, Coltrane: Blue Train and My Favorite Things and the album called John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk

 

[Nezer]

Just to clarify i'm not really too much into the orchestras. I prefer smaller ensembles and a solid rhythm section.

Blue Train is on my list.

 

[Anders]

Kind of Blue is somewhere in the middle of Miles musical development. If you like the "standards" with intro, solo etc. you should probably mostly look for record before Bitches Brew, the turning point with electronic instruments and fusion music. But I think you also should give the later periods a try. Some of the quiter of these are Amandla and Pangaea, especially the first.
A record somewhat earlier than Kind of Blue is Cannonball Adderly: Something Else; with Miles on trumpet (but not as usual the leader). I first heard this on speakers and my reaction was: Oh that sounds good! After a few tracks I recognised that this must be mono but there seems to be so much spatial information in the tracks that it doesn't matter. Recorded in 1958 and remastered by the same person 40 years later! (1999 release on Blue note). Think this record is a good companion to Kind of Blue.

 

[2 channel]

I second the Cannonball Aderly recommendation. Another great Cannonball album is Live at the Club. This is one of the best recorded live discs I have ever heard! I almost feel as if I am sitting in the audience.

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[Anders]

Something Else is the only Cannonball I have, recently purchased. I see that I must also get Live at the Club. Is this also engineered by Rudy Van Gelder?

 

[coolvij]

Coltrane, Coltrane, Coltrane!

Blue Train is on your list? Excellent...........Blue Train is a highly accessible album that has Coltrane strut his stuff without going grazy......My Favorite Things is just fun to listen to - it never gets old, with the improvisation being brilliant and the happy soprano sound Trane has making the album a very light, enjoyable album.

I think Giant Steps is his best "early" period work though - he's matured for sure, and the compositions are complex but very easy to listen to.

However, if u want the ultimate first Trane album - go for A Love Supreme. This album has rythymic complexity that few other releases can claim to have.....and so much is implied in the spaces when Trane isn't playing......awesome drumming, bass playing, and Piano work by the rest of the quartet, too........

So, get A Love Supreme.


If you like it, venture into the virtual sequel of that album, Meditations. Meditations differs substantially from anything else that has been recommended on this list, since it is so firey. One of the things that makes Kind Of Blue such an addictive listen is the sort of intense coolness the album has. John Coltrane's later releases were substantially different. Meditations, and his other works, are more explosions of sound......

If you dig that fire and passion - everything on the table and people asking, "Is THIS jazz!?!?! sounds like noise!" ..........then, well, try and get your hands on the John Coltrane Impulse! box set. That's what I'm saving for.

If you don't like Meditations, but still dig Coltrane's sound, try and acquire his early Atlantic releases, like Ole! Coltrane....or go for it all with the Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings of John Coltrane.


As for other musicians, try:

The Blues And The Abstract Truth - Oliver Nelson
Maiden Voyage - Herbie Hancock
Moanin' - Art Blakely


The last one isn't very musically complex, but is a joy to listen to and is very well-executed. Tight band performing fun compositions......you can hear the happy.


Now, you specifically asked for Miles Davis, so all I'll say is:

- Sketches Of Spain
- Porgy And Bess
- Tribute To Jack Johnson
- Milestones
- Workin'/Steamin'/Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quartet

 

[Nezer]

I have Coltrane's A Love Supreme and while I think it's an absolute brilliant album I just can't seem to get into it the way I have with Kind of Blue.

Love Supreme remindes me a lot of these open improvisations I used to do in college. Fun as hell to play but not so fun to listen (to me anyway).

I like jazz with an obvious structure, like So What's AABA dorian structure, or Freddie Freeloader's 12-bar structure.

What got me hooked on Miles from this recording was the way his notes would just soar. His playing here isn't as technical here as it was later in his development but melodically he was dead on.

To give you guys some idea of other stuff I listen to I really dig Pat Metheny's Question and Answer, just about anything that John Scofield does, Jimmy Smith (a B3 trio is as close to heaven as one can get in this life), and Diana Krall (Russell Malone has to be the best backing guitarist that has ever walked).

If it's not obvious from the above list I'm a guitarist.

Kind of Blue is really the first non-guitar or vocal album I really dig and I don't normally like the sound of a trumpet. But there is some sort of mojo happening when Miles presses the mouthpiece to his lips. He isn't playing the trumpet, he is playing his heart he just choose that instrument to express himself for some reason.

I'm looking for more of the same. I really dig Cannonball Adderly 's solos on Kind of Blue, much more than Coltrane really. Coltrane almost sounds like he is in-between a period of his development and I find his solos inconsistant yet brilliant.

I think I could really dig into some early Coltrane when I think I can actually understand what he's doing. His later stuff is on a level I'll never comprehend.

That said Adderly's Something Else is now on the list with Bird's Blue Train.

Keep the recomendations coming, I really need to get away from the guitar paradigm I've been stuck in for so many years.

Back to Miles, what other Miles album would be the next step after Kind of Blue and still maintain that intimate and cool feel?

 

[coolvij]

Stupid me!

The Birth Of The Cool is a record you have to check out if you like the "coolness" of Miles' playing........



and, don't worry - not everyone gets into Coltrane.....Miles is definetely a giant..................


I couldn't disagree with you more about A Love Supreme, though

 

[Nezer]

I really wish I could get inside it and, believe me, I've tried.

Maybe I'm just not there yet but I am begining to think he is at a level I'll never comprehend and I do recognize that as a fault of mine.

Just like Einstien. The man was brilliant I just wish I could get into his math and phsyics but I just can't. It's on a whole other level that I can't "get". Same with Coltrane.

 

[coolvij]

Be easy on yourself, man!

Music should be the intellectual retreat you have..............you can "get" Coltrane if you can feel his passion, his energy, his fire.

That's what music should do - inspire emotion..............understanding the subtleties and ideas behind it is fun, but not something you should get caught up with, I think.

I mean, without understanding a fairly high level of math, Einstein is uncomprehensible. Coltrane, OTH, is inspirational to nearly anyone........................


Just chill......keep playing A Love Supreme, anyways - it is one of those records that just clicks, since everything is so.......unusual........

 

[Anders]

Another Miles record that is intimate and with a blue feeling is In a Silent Way, recorded shortly after Kind of Blue, with the new musicians but still far from Bitches Brew and the following.
A problem with Kind of Blue is that it is an exceptional peak and it is hard to find recordings with a similar musical quality.
I have also had problems with A Love Supreme. After the last system upgrade I did, it seemed to come out in the room and be much more alive than previously, giving a really good musical experience. Maybe it is demanding on the equipment, to get the music out of the tracks, or maybee I had developed as a listener.

 

[slindeman]

Quote:

I really dig the 'standards' where there is an intro, solos, and then the cadence.

I'm a piano lover so what has really done it for me is the Bill Evans Trio. He fulfills your requirements listed above. I'm thinking specifically of the four albums with Scott Lafaro on bass. 3 of the 4 have recently been remastered with the JVC K2 system and sound great.

Dave Brubeck is good too, but I don't find his stuff as inspiring as Davis'.

 

[RMSzero]

A lot of people have done a lot of jazz over the years. It's really worth checking it out because no man stands alone -- do a search for some jazz threads, there've been some great ones with tons of suggestions.

What "jazz stations" on the radio do you listen to? My god, other than NPR I've never even heard of a jazz station that plays anything other than "smooth jazz" which is NOT the same thing at all.

With that said I want to ask -- seriously, people, what's the deal with miles davis? He's good, yes, but why does he have godlike status dwarfing all other jazz musicians for some people? I listen to jazz, I enjoy it, hell I play it, but in the last few weeks all I've heard from people about jazz is "miles davies miles davis kind of blue omg omgomg" -- is it really THAT much better than everything else to you guys? Is there any reason why miles davis would be more accessible to new jazz listeners? I don't get it.

I know everyone has their favorites, but what is it that makes him the trendy favorite to have?