If you’re fairly new to jazz, and want to know where to begin, please look no further than this four disc set that has 8 of the quintessential albums the define what jazz is all about.
Miles Davis essentially defined modern jazz with these albums, but don’t think that the sounds are monochromatic. Within this collection are at albums that represent the various stages of not only Miles Davis, but jazz itself. Where to begin?
Well, at the beginning, in the early 50s with Davis teamed with his bebopping influences in Kenny Clarke/dr, Percy Heath/b, Milt Jackson/vibes and Thelonious Monk/p for strong and earthy reads of classics like “Well, You Needn’t” and “Woody N You”. In the mid-50s, Davis hit his first peak, putting out Walkin’ essentially initiated the hard bop movement with songs like “Blue N Boggie” and “Walkin’”. The same year he had a seminal session with Sonny Rollins/ts , Horace Silver/p, Clarke, Monk and Milt Jackson/vib for a definitive take of “Bags Groove” and “Doxy” A marathon session with his first “classic” quintet of John Coltrane/ts, Red Garland/p, Philly Joe Jones/dr and Paul Chambers resulted in a swinging read of “If I Were A Bell” and a classic “peek a boo” version of “Oleo”. Cannonball Adderley joins the band with his alto sax for what became Davis’ first foray into “Modal” music with the trend setting “Milestones”.
Davis then proceeded to create arguably not only his best album, but the definitive jazz release, with Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly alternating piano with Jimmy Cobb/dr, Paul Chambers/b, Coltrane and Adderley for an album that is as seamless and perfect as it gets, with “So What” and “All Blues” musical gauntlets. Davis refused to sit still, teaming up with arranger/orchestrator Gil Evans for a gorgeously sensuous album of Iberian tunes, and a soundtrack to a French film noir, with Davis’ muted horn creating the perfect atmosphere for the celluloid gem. During these years, Davis could do no wrong, and was setting trends with just about everything he did, touched or said.