“Kind of Blue” is an iconic jazz album created by Miles Davis, known as a trail-blazing trumpet player. After being released in 1959, the album is one of the best-selling and influential jazz records ever. The album assembles many fantastic jazz musicians: John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb.
Overview of “Kind of Blue”:
Released: August 17, 1959
Created by Artist: Miles Davis
Genre: Modal Jazz
The Tracks of the Album Include:
“So what”-
The opening track of the album sets the tone.
It begins with a slow piano solo that gradually introduces the album.
Continuous with the bass establishing the melody while piano workers as background.
Then, the bass continues the melody as the trumpet joins the solo.
The bass establishes a new harmonic tone, and the trumpet, sax, and piano follow to create a harmony; quickly after, Miles Davis on the trumpet continues the melody, which is beautiful yet intercut. Beat set and continued by the high hat. Immediately after, the saxophone is introduced with an improved solo.
The song showcases various improved solos across multiple instruments as the different exchange terms while acting as “background.”
“Freddie Freeloader”-
It begins like the ending of “So What” and continues the melody. The piano played by Wynton Kelly is essential to this piece as it adds depth to the song. The rhythm section maintains a steady groove, like when listening to jazz. Miles Davis on the trumpet plays an improved solo while showcasing his bluesy feel on his trumpet. Cannonball Adderley also conditions to keep the bluesy feel during his alto saxophone solo. Adderley also adds little accent notes to differentiate between his bluesy and Miles Davis’s feeling.
“Blue in Green”-
The track is a very smooth, muted, bluesy feel of jazz. Miles Davis played his trumpet with a mute and established a delicate and introspective piano playing in the background.
Miles Davis played a very smooth improvisational solo during the song’s duration.
“All Blues”-
This track begins with high hat and bass.
It continues with an added saxophone background.
Then, it introduces a smooth, muted, improved trumpet solo.
After a chromatic up and down while continuing the repetition background with the high-hat bass and saxophone. Solo transitions from trumpet to saxophone improve solo.
“Flamenco Sketches”-
It starts with piano and bass playing back and forth. Then, the high hat introduces a smooth, high-pitched trumpet solo. Improvisation within the solo with various high-pitched notes. In this song, the solo passes from trumpet to saxophone as well.
As a whole,
I enjoyed the album. This will be something I play while studying and completing homework. I have no negative comments regarding the album.
Instruments and Musicians Within the Album:
Miles Davis- Trumpet
John Coltrane- Tenor Saxophone
Cannonball Adderley- Alto Saxophone
Bill Evans- Piano
Wynton Kelly- Piano for “Freddie Freeloader”
Paul Chambers- Double Bass
Jimmy Cobb- Drums
