If d
iamonds are the traditional gift for a 75th anniversary, Blue Note is going to be shelling out some jewels this year, as they are re-issuing some of their earliest (and BEST) sessions in cool little 2-3 cd sets. For this 2 cd-er, the original three Blue Note 10 inch albums from ‘52-’54 (along with alternate takes) are put together into a hip booklet with background information.
The music? Well, this was when Miles Davis was just starting to get some traction after recovering from his personal demons. The 1952 session has him with JJ Johnson/tb, Jackie McLean/as, Gil Coggins/p, Oscar Pettiford/b and Kenny Clarke/dr for and include a startlingly gorgeous “Dear Old Stockholm” and haunting “Yesterdays” that spotlight Davis’ pristine yet fragile tone. The gentle bopper “Woody ‘N You” shows a Davis with a delivery that is assertive and crisp. Tenor saxist Jimmy Heath replaces McLean for the 1953 collection, and the band snaps on his classic “CTA” while JJ Johnson delivers some of his best work ever on “Kelo” and “Enigma.”
A stripped down quartet has Davis with Horace Silver/p, Percy Heath/b and Art Blakey/dr with a gorgeous reading of “It Never Entered My Mind” and a delightfully soft yet bouncy “Well, You Needn’t” while “Take Off” shows Davis’ experimentation with intervals. For some jazz fans, this early stage of Miles’ career was his most bona fide. Make your own decision, but it’s definitely a “must have.” I’ve had this one in different incarnations, and listen to it 3X more than his post Bitches Brew material. Draw your own conclusions.
Blue Note Records
www.bluenote.com