KIND OF BLUE

This album is out of my usual music comfort zone as I wasn't brought up on jazz and still very intimidated with the huge back catalog of many of these artists and how they frequently change their style and approach as frequently as their lineup changes. With Miles I started with his fusion efforts, Bitches Brew, Live at the Fillmore, Get Up with It (I still need to get more from that phase in his career). I also have Filles de Kilimanjaro, but the vinyl disc is so beat it's unplayable but I did like the music. Now to 1959 with Kind of Blue. I obviously wasn't expecting fusion here, far from it. But after a few listens it really grew on me and understand fully the huge praise it gets. Here he gets help from Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly and others. This album apparently helped define modal jazz which I totally confess ignorance on (that's what happens not growing up on jazz). What I do notice was this album emphasized riffs, be it on piano or horns and go on with improvisations with the riffs repeating themselves from time to time. "All Blues", for example featuring bluesy riffs or "Flamenco Sketches" (which I assumed inspired his next album Sketches of Spain) which includes, unsurprisingly Spanish flamenco scales. Much of the album uses this similar approach of riffs or scales with improvisations. I am surprised how lengthy this album is for 1959, around 45 minutes, which many 1970s prog rock albums were that length.

To be honest at a younger age I probably would have little patience for this, but I'm glad now to own this piece of musical history and I have to say it's actually amazing. I do need to warn you it's a pretty calm and relaxed album, Bitches Brew this is not, but on the other hand this album is a demonstration how far jazz evolved by 1959 at a time rock and roll was only a few years old and prog was still another ten years away. Recommending this album is only preaching to the choir, but obviously every jazz fan has this already and those getting into jazz needs it.