To help explain why I chose "Miles58" as my e-mail name (besides the
fact that "dmacleod" and all of it's variations were already taken),
here is a note I posted on the Prodigy service sometime in the
early 1990s:
'58 Sessions by Miles Davis... Yes, it's excellent. That recording of Green Dolphin St. is indeed a classic. Miles also does the tune with Coltrane on two imports recorded just days apart in 1960: Green Dolpin St., Live in Holland (Natasha Imports), and In Stockholm 1960 [BOX SET] (Dragon). Coltrane left the band immediately after the tour during which these recordings were made, and all I can say is that he plays like man possesed. Awesome.
Back to 1958 and '59. These were the years of the Miles Davis Sextet. What a great combination of musicians: Miles, Coltrane, Cannonball, Bill Evans/Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones/Jimmy Cobb. It is especially gratifying to hear how the contrasting styles of Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly and Miles set one another off. Cannonball swings effortlessly, Coltrane probes the depths, and Miles wastes not a single note. Bill Evans adds a shimmering tapestry, Philly Joe kicks, prods, swings, and punches in all the right places, and Mr. P.C. (Paul Chambers) lays the perfect groove that connects it all together. What could be better?
The Recordings
- Somethin' Else, (Cannonball Adderly), New York, March 1958
- Milestones, Columbia (CBS), New York, April 1958.
- '58 Sessions), CBS, New York, May, September 1958. This CD combines portions of two previous releases - Jazz Track and Jazz At The Plaza, as well as one tune from Circle In The Round.
- Live - Cafe Bohemia, New York, May 1958. Also released in other incarnations, such as Makin' Wax (Chakra), and Miles Tones (Jazz Bird) Records. Poorly recorded, and Cannonball is not present.
- Four Play, JMY, New York, May, July, Aug 1958, Jan '59
- Conceirto De Aranjuez, Jazz Roots, New York, May, July, Aug, Sept 1958
- Legrand Jazz, Columbia, New York, June 1958 Miles plays on four of the eleven tunes.
- Miles & Monk At Newport, Columbia, Newport, July 1958
- Miles & Coltrane, Columbia, Newport, July 1958. Some of the same material as above.
- Porgy and Bess, Columbia, New York, July & August, 1958
- Live - Spotlite Lounge, Washington, JMY, Washington DC, August 1958
- Miles Davis All Stars Live in 1958-59, Jazz Band, New York, August, November 1958, January, February 1959. Various live dates with the sextet.
- Jazz At The Plaza, Columbia, New York, September 1958. Some of the same material as on '58 Sessions.
- Live - Spotlite Lounge, Washington, PR, Washington DC, November 1958
- Miles Davis Sextet, Bandstand USA, Washington D.C., November 1958 - February 1959. I haven't heard this one.
- Kind Of Blue, CBS, New York, March - April 1959. One of the best jazz albums ever recorded. Make that one of the best albums ever recorded. Period.
Clicking on any of the highlighted titles above will take you to Amazon.com, where you can find more info, and, if you choose, purchase the CD.
David (aka Miles58)
Oh yeah...1958 is also the year of my birth. I'm not trying to take anything away from
any of the many great recordings Miles made from the mid-forties to the early-nineties.
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