KIND OF BLUE

Kind of Blue was the first jazz record I ever owned; I think I got it just because it was so renowned. It was the record that got me into jazz, although it's not my favorite genre. Therefore, although I wouldn't consider myself a jazz expert, Kind of Blue has to be one of the cornerstone albums in jazz history.

One of the things I love about Kind of Blue is how it's arranged. By that I mean how it alternates between slower tracks and quicker tracks. If my memory is good, the first three tracks were on side 1 of the LP, and "All Blues" and "Flamenco Sketches" made up side 2. It flows very well. The musicians are beyond reproach. Bill Evans swings more on this album than he's sometimes given credit for, I think.

My favorite tracks are probably the first three. "All Blues" and "Flamenco Sketches" go on a bit too long for my tastes, but that's a very minor complaint. Also, Kind of Blue couldn't be considered jazz fusion in any way, so it lives on the edge of a progressive rock website. Only those two factors cause me to dock Kind of Blue a half star. I give 4 and 1/2 stars to one of the most important records in jazz history.