KIND OF BLUE

I never thought i'd do a review for an album on this site that was released before I was born. And while I think it's good, it really does sound like a record my parents would have listened to, I mean were talking 1959 here. Sure it's a hugely significant album and for many the best of all time, but I just can't get into the older more traditional Jazz. For me the traditional stuff is black and white and it didn't become colour until ""In A Silent Way", "Bitches Brew" and other like albums came out. I love MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, RETURN TO FOREVER, HERBIE HANCOCK, TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME and WEATHER REPORT but "Kind Of Blue" just doesn't do much for me. It's tame, light, melodic and flows very well, but to my ears it's based on double bass, piano and light drums with the sax players, trumpet and piano taking turns leading over top. It's kind of predictable which is ok, and of course it's played very well.That's the understatement of the year with Davis, Coltrane, Adderley and Evans on board. I can't believe Miles released his first album in 1945, hard to wrap my mind around that one. Anyway this album was revolutionary at the time and oh so cool.

"So What" opens with piano, double bass and light drums.The tempo picks up before a minute then we get trumpet, sax and piano taking turns leading. "Freddie Freeloader" has the same mid-pace as the first track and really a similar sound and style. "Blue In Green" is tougher going for me because its slower paced and there's this background noise (Cobb) throughout. More of that noise early on the next track "All Blues" as well. "Flamenco Sketches" is very smooth and light and check out Coltrane he sounds so good.

So apologies to you Jazz fans but I prefer the experimental, atmospheric, electric Fusion that came 10 years later.