Massive Miles Davis group tops jazz fan's craving for these books and CDs
Jazz fans are such a discriminating batch that the prospect of buying them Christmas gifts must give non-jazz fans the blues.
This year, however, has seen the release of plenty of books and discs that guarantee a swinging holiday. Here's an overview of some can't-fail gifts:
The Complete Miles Davis Columbia Album Collection: In the unlikely event your jazz-loving recipient has no recordings of Miles Davis -- or is nuts enough about Davis to want each and every of his Columbia-label recordings -- this 70-CD set containing 52 albums has been released, culling everything from the 1949 Davis album In Paris Festival International De Jazz to his 1985 disc Aura. They're all yours for about $300 US.
If your budget rules out such jazz profligacy, the Davis essentials, in my opinion, are: Kind of Blue (which most jazz fans have memorized already); My Funny Valentine (my sentimental favourite); The Complete Plugged Nickel Sessions (unsurpassed when it comes to daring); Sketches of Spain; and jazz-rock jam classic, Bitches Brew.
Jazz fans are such a discriminating batch that the prospect of buying them Christmas gifts must give non-jazz fans the blues.
This year, however, has seen the release of plenty of books and discs that guarantee a swinging holiday. Here's an overview of some can't-fail gifts:
The Complete Miles Davis Columbia Album Collection: In the unlikely event your jazz-loving recipient has no recordings of Miles Davis -- or is nuts enough about Davis to want each and every of his Columbia-label recordings -- this 70-CD set containing 52 albums has been released, culling everything from the 1949 Davis album In Paris Festival International De Jazz to his 1985 disc Aura. They're all yours for about $300 US.
If your budget rules out such jazz profligacy, the Davis essentials, in my opinion, are: Kind of Blue (which most jazz fans have memorized already); My Funny Valentine (my sentimental favourite); The Complete Plugged Nickel Sessions (unsurpassed when it comes to daring); Sketches of Spain; and jazz-rock jam classic, Bitches Brew.
