Record Reviews

MILES DAVIS ~ CHRONICLE: THE COMPLETE PRESTIGE RECORDINGS 1951-1956 PRESTIGE 025218440028 (Barcode: 025218440028) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1951 - 1956 Released: 1987 This is a monumental 8CD Box Set, which collects all the recordings by iconic American trumpeter / composer / bandleader Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, recorded for PrestigeFind albums on this label Records between January 17, 1951 and October 26, 1956. The Box Set includes 94 tracks, recorded during 17 sessions, with 34 different musicians, presented exactly in the sequence they were recorded. All the music was remastered for this CD edition of the Box Set from 1987, which was initially released in analogue form in 1980 as a 12LP Box Set. Considering the fact that there is an endless amount of commentary about this music already written, I’ll only state some personal remarks here. This Box Set presents the formative Davis’ period, during which he was looking for his personal form of expression. He crossed and zig-zagged Jazz genres with ease, be it Cool, Bebop, Hard Bop, or whatever, just in order to find the sound that represented him regardless of how it was classified. Playing with musicians, who were deeply rooted in one specific genre or idiom made him often uneasy and kept him searching. On the last three CDs of this Box Set we can hear the Davis’ First Great Quintet, with saxophonist John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, pianist Red GarlandFind albums by this artist, bassist Paul ChambersFind albums by this artist and drummer Philly Joe JonesFind albums by this artist. The quintet was a turning point, as far as Davis was concerned, when his found his very own voice for the first time, largely inspired by Coltrane of course. Following the move to ColumbiaFind albums on this label and eventually with the formation of the Second Great Quartet in 1964, Davis would become completely liberated from the formal stylistic definitions, creating music that was first and foremost his own and beyond any existing style, often coercing critics to invent new style labels to fit his music. During my conversations with Davis, he often stressed that the tendency of many American Jazz musicians to cling to Bebop as the basis of their music, simply holds them back from developing further (he was, of course, using somewhat less politically correct vocabulary, when making his observations). Davis’ Prestige period, although producing a vast amount of great music, as evident from what is included herein, was a transitional phase, which only towards its end managed to crystalize Davis’ musical personality, and which eventually would lead towards higher planes. Overall, this Box Set is an essential piece of American Jazz history, which summarizes the first half of the 1950s probably better than most other recordings of that period. As far as Miles Davis is concerned, it is but a taster of his full might, which will explode about a decade later, but nevertheless it is a classic part of the puzzle, which every Jazz fan should be familiar with.

Updated: 03/02/2024Posted: 03/02/2024

CD 8 Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MILES DAVIS / JOHN COLTRANE ~ THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA RECORDINGS 1955-1961 COLUMBIA 90922 (Barcode: 827969092224) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1955 - 1961 Released: 2004 This is the 1st chapter in the ColumbiaFind albums on this label’s epic series of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist Box Sets, which is a monumental reissue project of recordings by the most important Jazz musician of the 20th century. Recorded between October 1955 and March 1961 the music includes everything Miles recorded for Columbia with his legendary first quintet and sextet. John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist and Hank MobleyFind albums by this artist on saxes, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, Red GarlandFind albums by this artist and Wynton KellyFind albums by this artist on piano, Paul ChambersFind albums by this artist on bass and Philly Joe JonesFind albums by this artist and Jimmy CobbFind albums by this artist on drums are the protagonists on these legendary sessions, creating this heavenly music, under the Master’s spiritual leadership. The music included here appeared on the albums: ’Round About MidnightFind albums with this title, MilestonesFind albums with this title, Kind Of BlueFind albums with this title and Someday My Prince Will ComeFind albums with this title, as well as on numerous compilation albums released later. There is little that I need to say about the music herein, as almost every Jazz lover is acquainted with at least the “Kind Of Blue” album, being the most widely sold Jazz recording of all times. The combination of the geniuses of Miles and Trane turn these sessions into a fundamental and quintessential Jazz experience, which serves as a model for all generations of Jazzman to come. Both of them were constantly on a spiritual quest to expand both their performing skills, taking them beyond the humanly possible, as well as crossing musical planes uncharted and visionary. Although created by humans, this music is worthy of Gods and should it have happened a few thousands of years earlier, it would be probably heard on the mount Olympus. I simply can’t imagine anybody not owning this music and listening to it repeatedly, as it is timeless and everlasting. Beyond essential!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 6 Box Set Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend