Now listening to this truly great record. Those who don't know it should. I have a feeling many here will agree...

Yes, truly inspired

Yes, bought it last year on a recommendation from a friend. I don't consider myself a jazz expert by any means, but you listen to it and it just sounds connected and perfectly balanced. Why do I say this??..I have absolutely no idea!

Like many brilliant records though, it breeds your interest in other artists. After listening to Davis's album, I read about Oscar Peterson and bought one of his albums. Great albums are the key to unlocking a whole mass of undiscovered music.

"Going to Twickers in August anyone?"

Hi Stevie C,

Kind of Blue is one of three classic albums Miles made with Gil Evans producing. Sketches of Spain and Porgy n Bess being the other two, and are also both very good. My Miles fav though, is definitely his solo debut, Birth of the Cool.

Karl

brilliant album.

A timeless release.

Was introduced to this in a History of American Music class in college (University for the European readers).
Heard "So What" with Miles and Coltrane and headed straight to the store to buy the CD.

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

i love it. Miles was a true genius.

Think it's scandalously overrated. Coltrane and Adderley are great, Evans is OK (but would he damn stop with his after-hours affectation?) and Davis is just boring.
I'd take a Coltrane album over it any day (fabulous release last year: Live at the Half Note) and, if trumpet is what matters, Clifford Brown (Study in Brown is beautiful).

My Jazz favourite: Sonny Rollins +4 (feat Brown). Effortless soloing from the two horns, fabulous rhythm (Max Roach on drums) and, just awaiting your second listen, a world of subtleties, been listening to this one at least once a week since years and cannot stop marveling at it.

this was my first jazz album, it's perfect for those lazy days when the sun shines through my window. also good for watching underwater documentaries with the telly sound off (well, most jazz -and psychedelic music- is).
after that I got A Love Supreme, a very different experience, but I still find it works much in the same way. Since then I've gotten Ole Coltrane which is very good, I think I like the title track better than anything on A Love Supreme, and that says a lot!

otonneau Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Think it's scandalously overrated. Coltrane and
> Adderley are great, Evans is OK (but would he damn
> stop with his after-hours affectation?) and Davis
> is just boring.
> I'd take a Coltrane album over it any day
> (fabulous release last year: Live at the Half
> Note) and, if trumpet is what matters, Clifford
> Brown (Study in Brown is beautiful).
>

You are right, in the sense that it is not THE essential jazz album of all times, as it is often portraited.

I never was a great fan of Davis and got into Kind of Blue mainly because of Cannonaball Adderley.

As a matter of fact, my first reaction was: "is this it"? Now I feel more confortable with it. I can see the magic. But you are right, it is not the best the band as singles has done.

C

It's tough about Jazz IMO. I am so taken up by Rock and "Classical" Music, but at the same time I know full and well that I am missing out on an entire glorious world of music. Jazz. But there just isn't enough time for me to do it justice. So I can not say that I am qualified to talk much about it. I do own Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, Birth of Cool, In a Silent Way and Round about Midnight. I listen to them much and love them. But I honestly wish I understood more. That I could review, and criticize. Compare to Parker, Trane, Mingus, etc.
I do love Ornette Coleman and Monk. Makes for a healthy ear.
Someone who I listen to very much is Duke Ellington. Great albums.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

I have been getting into a lot of Miles' late 60 jazz/rock style music and it is amazing.. He was one of the first jam band style performers and was doing some crazy things musically.

Kind of Blue was also my first jazz album, when I wanted to check out Miles Davis this was the obvious choice for my first one to get and I love it.

ChelseaDrugstore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am so taken up by
> Rock and "Classical" Music, but at the same time I
> know full and well that I am missing out on an
> entire glorious world of music. Jazz. But there
> just isn't enough time for me to do it justice. So
> I can not say that I am qualified to talk much
> about it. I do own Kind of Blue, Sketches of
> Spain, Birth of Cool, In a Silent Way and Round
> about Midnight. I listen to them much and love
> them. But I honestly wish I understood more. That
> I could review, and criticize. Compare to Parker,
> Trane, Mingus, etc.

Chelsea: so true!

There is a record shop here in Milano called Black Saint that is one of the best places to be in whole Europe if you love jazz. The owner knows EVERYTHING about Jazz (a little bit like Gazza knows everything about the Stones). I've past hours in that shop listening to CDs and his stories. Kind of a jazz univeristy. He made me love jazz. But he also made me mad, because I realized what a complete ignorant I am.

The same for "classic" music. Mainly thanks to the fact that I live in Milano and my mom is a music fanatic, my personal record in terms of hours of listening, concerts attended, and "big names" seen and met, IS impressive. But, again, no way I can say I know something about classic music!

Things got even worse after the file-sharing revolution. Now I listen to music coming from so many different places, differnt styles, AND all great music, I completely gave up any ambition of being some how "competent".

As a result I just sit on my arse and enjoy what ever music I am able to find!

Let the critics compare Parker, Trane, Mingus ...

But DO yourself a big favor, go out and buy the complete Mingus discography!

C

Try the 70's live album 'We Want Miles', that's really awesome.

to me the song spanish key off of mile's album bitches brew is as good as music/sound gets.
the live evil album is also mind blowing, its just new sound.
kind of blue truly feels like something was stolen from heaven
haha

Miles lost me shortly after Kind of Blue - but everything he did up to and including it I consider to be "as good as jazz gets." And, that's pretty damn good.

I used to watch Miles in his 80's period when he was saying F*ck you to the world night after night. He'd comeup there in his red leather jacket and never even look at the audience. Just carry his horn around. He MIGHT join in on the head, but even that was not a guarantee. Then for the solos he had all these white cats fresh from school who are bending over backwards to make an impression on the master. After every solo the guitarrist or Alto Sax would look at Miles with this pleading, out-of-breath look wanting to be petted. And Miles goes on. He walks over to the Synth, with one hand he's playing the horn, woth the other he's doubling the hornlines on a monophonic Synth. Only time he talked was to tell the crowd how good Miocael Jackson is, and that he will cover a MJ tune right now. "Human Nature" follows.
Another great highlight in the Miles story is that gigantic interview this female writer did for Rolling Stone. Can't recall her name but I think it was in 2 parts and was rweally something. They actually got it on,. Took her forever to get him to trust her. He could hardly talk anymore. But his artwork! Man!! as powerful and lasting as his music. It's artwork like that that is the reason why I can not take Ron Wood's painting seriously.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Fantastic record indeed

Another highly recommended jazz classic is John Coltrane "A Love Supreme" on Impulse.

When I bought my Sony SACD player, this SACD came free inside. It's a 5.1 surround SACD and it sounds awesome. From the reviews I've read, it's a huge step up from the previous versions, although since I wasn't familiar with the disc to begin with, I can't compare.
Don't recall the songs, but on the first song, the drums come out of the front right speaker and the cymbal is so clear, you'd think the drum kit was set up right infront of you.

ChelseaDrugstore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I used to watch Miles in his 80's period when he
> was saying F*ck you to the world night after
> night. He'd comeup there in his red leather jacket
> and never even look at the audience. Just carry
> his horn around. He MIGHT join in on the head, but
> even that was not a guarantee. Then for the solos
> he had all these white cats fresh from school who
> are bending over backwards to make an impression
> on the master. After every solo the guitarrist or
> Alto Sax would look at Miles with this pleading,
> out-of-breath look wanting to be petted. And Miles
> goes on. He walks over to the Synth, with one hand
> he's playing the horn, woth the other he's
> doubling the hornlines on a monophonic Synth. Only
> time he talked was to tell the crowd how good
> Miocael Jackson is, and that he will cover a MJ
> tune right now. "Human Nature" follows.
> Another great highlight in the Miles story is that
> gigantic interview this female writer did for
> Rolling Stone. Can't recall her name but I think
> it was in 2 parts and was rweally something. They
> actually got it on,. Took her forever to get him
> to trust her. He could hardly talk anymore. But
> his artwork! Man!! as powerful and lasting as his
> music. It's artwork like that that is the reason
> why I can not take Ron Wood's painting seriously.

I would like to read this interview,can you post it?Was it a ''rolling stone magazine interview?

There is an excellent outtakes bootleg of these sessions in circulation too. I'm sure some of you have heard it but I traded for it under the title, "Kind of Blue Sessions" (1CD; A). Drop me a line if you're interested.