Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants

Occupation

Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants is a jazz album by Miles Davis, recorded on December 24, 1954 and October 26, 1956, Prestige Records.

The album

On Christmas Eve of 1954, a recording session was held under the leadership of Miles Davis. Besides his rhythm section of Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke, with whom he had taken the Walkin' session in the spring of 1954, the owner of Prestige Records, Bob Weinstock, vibraphonist Milt Jackson and the pianist Thelonious Monk had committed. This took three quarters of the Modern Jazz Quartet and one of the outstanding pianists of modern jazz on with him.

Although Miles Davis appreciated compositions Monks (his most famous, 'Round Midnight, recorded 1956, and this album was attached), but could not stand how he left a few months later in Downbeat announced its eccentric accompaniment style. With his seemingly abducted chords Monk supported by Davis ' view the soloists not, but brought him confused. Max Harrison points out that not only rhythmically, but also harmonious Monk and Davis pursued very different concepts; Davis was then still requires a conventional companion.

Davis therefore insisted Monk may pause while he played the solos. Through these discussions and the rumors, it would have come to blows between Miles and Monk, the session quickly became a legend: The tensions are palpable, Davis is in his autobiography of the opinion that "Monk just could not accompany wind "; and that was especially true for the trumpeter. " To bring a trumpet to shine, you have to make the rhythm section up steam, and that was not Monks thing. (...) At the time I wanted to give the music more room to breathe - a concept that I had taken over from Ahmad Jamal; we even took one of the pieces on which he often played and I loved " The Man I Love". "

The music of the album

Despite the tensions in the studio, the resulting music is great. At the beginning of "The Man I Love " Miles Davis achieved a sound that leaves no doubt that he was going to be " one of the most moving, not only one of the most important jazz musicians. " The mood of this Gershwin work is reminiscent of. the famous version of the Benny Goodman Quartet from 1938 Wießmüller Peter writes: " in a ballad-like opening on the vibraphone is using floating cluster a musical scene unfolds, weaves imaginative theme variations in the Miles. . Arises something like an imaginary choreographic transparency that comes from the occasional harmony of vibraphone and trumpet " In the second take of this piece, the tension between Monk and Davis can clearly audible; Monk lost during the Bridge on the piano, whereupon an angry throw on the trumpet takes place.

Davis Title Swing Spring may be traced back to a design by Bud Powell; it is based more on scale than on chords and takes so far been a little modal jazz anticipated. Jackson and Monk fire are mutually inclusive. Davis quotes in his solo Monk a known phrase that receives the pianist in his solo. According to Max Harrison rehearsed in 1956 with an entirely different cast version of " 'Round Midnight " is contained in the album, eventually "irrelevant".

Maybe " Bemsha Swing" was first recorded. In this Monk title, the composer accompanied namely Davis during the trumpet solo on the piano. The trumpet seems strangely immobile, and also the continuity of Davis is not as good as elsewhere on the album. Nevertheless, he ended his solo with significantly Monk - modern ideas that this after a round solo by Jackson, receives and further developed in a remarkable way.

Editorial policy

Most of the material of the Christmas session is on the album (PRLP 7150 or as a 10 "plate PRLP 16-3 ) included and will then also recorded two takes of " Bags' Groove " were released on the Prestige - LP of the same title ( PRLP 7109 ). a version of " 'Round Midnight " is from a session in the year 1956, when Miles Davis with his new quintet recorded four albums as relaxin ' with the Miles Davis Quintet in order to fulfill his contract with the Prestige label, before he moved to Columbia Records. Max Harrison makes clear that this mixing of tracks of different recording sessions is nonsensical.

The title

The occupation

  • Miles Davis - Trumpet
  • Milt Jackson - vibraphone
  • Thelonious Monk - Piano
  • Percy Heath - Bass
  • Kenny Clarke - drums

On " 'Round Midnight " (26 October 1956)

1958 Record label Genre Rudy Van Gelder Blue Moods Down Beat Bridge (music) George Gershwin Cootie Williams Denzil Best Sonny Rollins Charlie Rouse Oleo (song)
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