Miles Davis's Kind Of Blue

 

On this day in 1959 Columbia Records released an album by the jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis. Some extraordinary talent joined him in the studio, including John Coltrane (saxophone), Cannonball Adderley (saxophone), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Wynton Kelly (piano). Their album, Kind of Blue, would go on to become the best selling album of all time. These words from the introductory paragraphs of the album's Wikipedia entry define its status:

 

Kind of Blue is regarded by many critics as Davis's masterpiece, the greatest jazz record, and one of the best albums of all time. Its effect on music, including jazz, rock, and classical genres, has led writers to also deem it one of the most influential albums ever recorded. The album was one of fifty recordings chosen in 2002 by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry and in 2003 it was ranked number 12 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

 

In the sixty-plus years since its release interest has not waned. In fact, since 2016, the sale of 1.6 million copies of Kind of Blue pushed the album to certified five-times platinum status or five million copies sold. 

In the online music database AllMusic, senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said this about Kind of Blue:

Kind of Blue isn't merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it's an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue possess such a mystique? Perhaps because this music never flaunts its genius. ... It's the pinnacle of modal jazz — tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality. ... It may be a stretch to say that if you don't like Kind of Blue, you don't like jazz — but it's hard to imagine it as anything other than a cornerstone of any jazz collection.

I was on the cusp of my teenage years when the album arrived in record stores but far more interested  in listening to rock and roll on my portable radio. To me jazz at that time meant big bands with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway. They made great music but it would take me some years to appreciate other aspects of jazz that I had consigned to beatniks and their coffee houses. That's one of the consequences of being an adult before you experience adolescence.

Regardless, in my seventh decade I can look back and say I've loved Kind of Blue for at least forty years. Listening to it remains very personal and an experience rarely shared. On the other hand, this is a special day in jazz history and it's pleasing to share this landmark event with you. Do enjoy.

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

Wikipedia

Text:

Wikipwdia.com

biography.com

rollingstone.com, Miles Davis: The Man Who Changed Music