So, the first thing I do with this disc is pop it in my player. Is something wrong? Did I get the wrong cd? It sounds like someone slipped in Miles Davis’ classic 1959 Kind of Blue album. Well, that’s the point; the team of Peter Evans/tp, Jon Irabagon/as-ts, Ron Stabinskhy/p, Moppa Elliott/b and Kevin Shea/dr do the dream of every jazz fan and play note for note, tap for tap, sound for sound, a perfect imitation of the bellweather album.
Even Jimmy Cobb’s hit on the crash cymbal is there, perfectly timed with the Davis intro on “So What.” Stabinsky sounds like both Bill Evans AND Wynton Kelly, no small feat in itself, by brooding on “Blue In Green” and going funky on”Freddie Freeloader” respectively. Irabagon does Adderley’s cry and Coltrane’s yearning like a perfect forger, as does Evans throughout, particularly on “All Blues.”
But that’s the point. Do I want a forgery or a counterfeit? Why would I buy this and not the original? It’s still in print, selling 50,000 copies a year. And original drummer Jimmy Cobb is still alive and doing fresh versions of these tunes every night.
This album reminds me of a story alto saxist told me when he auditioned for Miles Davis’ band. He said he did a note for note perfect rendition of a Coltrane solo from Milestones. He figured he just nailed the gig, until Davis said, “Well, you sound just like Coltrane. Let’s see what YOU sound like.” That’s the difference between leaders and followers.
Hot Cup Records