Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Miles Davis: Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants

300

Miles Davis: Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants

By

Sign in to view read count
Miles Davis: Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants


Hyperbole aside, this disc's title could hardly be more accurate. Miles Davis. Milt Jackson. Thelonius Monk. John Coltrane. That doesn't even count the legendary rhythm sections (Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke in one, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones in the other). Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants is made up of two sessions, with four tracks from an all-star group with Jackson and Monk from 1954 (which also yielded the title track to Davis's Bags Groove ) and one track from the first of the famous 1956 Davis quintet's marathon recordings that produced Workin' , Steamin ', Cookin' and Relaxin'. The music is unquestionably excellent, yielding sterling and signature input from each participant. The first of these two sessions is famous for being the one where the cranky trumpeter was miffed by the cantankerous Monk's playing behind his solos. "That's bullshit," according to label owner and session supervisor Bob Weinstock in the recently released The Prestige Records Story box set (and confirmed in this disc's liner notes by Ira Gitler),. "Miles didn't want him to comp on one tune. There was no hostility, no fighting. I've heard that story many times but those guys had total respect for each other." Indeed, the musical evidence bears Weinstock out. The rapport among these leaders — however edgy it certainly must have been in the studio on that Christmas Eve day — works to the music's advantage. The quintet excels on Davis's "Swing Spring," Monk's "Bemsha Swing" and two very different takes of Gershwin's "The Man I Love." The lone 1956 track is Davis's breathtaking signature reverie on Monk's "Round Midnight," with the trumpeter's familiar and definitive quintet. This collection essentially documents two important summit meetings from some of the greatest individuals jazz has ever known. Hyperbole aside, the results are significant and timeless.

Personnel

Miles Davis
trumpet

Album information

Title: Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Prestige Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.