Columbia
1955
Miles & Coltrane
About This Album
Miles & Coltrane is a CD that will satisfy the novice or the most discerning jazz patron. A brilliant collection of digitally remastered tunes directly from the original analog tapes, this CD will provide fans of Miles Davis and John Coltrane with a distinct look at their artistic progress. By the time John Coltrane joined the Miles Davis Quintet in mid-1955, Davis had already claimed the title of "Trumpet King," and Coltrane had already gained stature as one of jazz' most original figures. However, the collaboration at Newport, Rhode Island, July 4, 1958 by the Miles Davis Sextet, featuring Davis on trumpet, Coltrane on tenor sax, Cannonball Adderley on alto sax, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums, offers a rare glimpse of the Davis and Coltrane collective genius. Davis' ability to recognize talent in others and to bring out the best is readily apparent. On the Thelonious Monk blues standard "Straight No Chaser," Coltrane plays an excellent straight-ahead bebop with a flexible new rhythmic sense and an expanded concept of harmony. Davis' textbook lesson on melodic improvisation makes "Bye Bye Blackbird" a prerequisite for those concerned with variations on the simple theme. Miles Davis is relaxed and confident, playing in the cool style he pioneered in the late '40s. By contrast, John Coltrane's complex chord substitutions and harmonically dense phrasing make the diversity of Miles & Coltrane worth the duration of this well-preserved and exciting performance. ~ Paula Edelstein, All Music Guide
Track List

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