Blue Moods

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful record!!I was so ready to listen to this album the moment I got my hands on it.I love MIles Davis in this mood. Great if you're by yourself or if you have company. Excellent find. Forget "Bitches Brew". This is the album you want to have in your collection.

This album is interesting for a number of reasons. Foremost, the ensemble is odd for what Davis was doing in this period. I actually cannot think of a time when he included both a trombone and a vibraphone. The trombone makes sense because it matches the lower registers which Davis had a penchant for (as well as the minor keys he also seemed to favor.) Plus Charles Mingus - both bassist on this album and co-owner of the Debut label that published this album - seemed to favor trombones.Combined with a vibraphone the entire album has a sound that is vastly different from any other Davis recorded - or that I remember him recording. Some critics cite the cool jazz aspect of this album. To be honest, this does not have any relation to that genre. If anything it's a tribute to Monk's 'Round Midnight (a song Davis recorded nineteen times in his career and played many more.) Listen to the sound samples on this page for evidence of that. The entire album is pensive and the arrangements seem more inspired by Monk's composition than any other album Davis recorded. The trombone on some tracks foreshadows some of Mingus' later albums, including Ah Um, so I am sure he had a hand in writing the arrangements as well.To be honest, this is not typical Miles Davis fare, and it probably is not the nest album for someone who is just digging into his body of work. For musicians it's worth a listen, especially fans of Davis because it shows another side of his creativity.The album was recorded for the Debut label at the Audio-Video Studios in NYC on July 9, 1955. That label was a joint venture among Mingus, his wife Cecilia and drummer Max Roach. The ensemble on this album is comprised of Davis on trumpet, Britt Woodman on trombone, Teddy Edwards on vibraphone, Charles Mingus on bass and Elvin Jones on drums.

Just read the reviews below, I can't disagree with them. Yes this IS short at about 27 minutes, but, it's got a few things going for it that makes it a much needed addition to anyone who has Miles in their collection. For one, it is one of the very few dates where Miles recorded with a vibraphone. When one takes a look at one of the only other dates where Miles recorded with vibes (the Dec 24 1954 Xmas Eve session with Milt Jackson & Thelonius Monk),you can see that Teddy Charles is a very different stylist than the blues-based Milt Jackson: Charles' vibes are all nice hazy mood and suits this date well.When one gets used to the idea that folks like Charles Mingus and Elvin Jones aren't playing in their usual "hot-head" mode and that these folks actually could play moody ballads, well, there really isn't anything to apologize here about at all. For those who love Miles in his ballad mode, you simply can't go wrong here. Also, Miles is the only horn that really solos here (although trombone is present)which makes it different from most of Davis' best-known works.I sure wish Miles recorded like this more often.If you think you'll like this I have to also recommend "The Musings Of Miles" which was (chronilogically speaking)the recording session that took place just one month prior to this mid-1955 date and also featured Miles as the only horn (along with Oscar Petterson on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums, and Red Garland on piano)and perhaps also the famous Dec 24 1954 session, which is in a bluesier mode, but also quite nice (though sadly, this session is split up between 2 seperate discs, "Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants" and "Bag's Groove").

If you would like to get two Prestige albums in one, you can get the 4 songs from this cd on the 2007 reissue of Davis' Collector's Items (but they are not on the 1991 reissue with the bottles on the cover). The 2007 reissue also includes the song Conception, featuring Miles and Sonny Rollins (ts); Walter Bishop, Jr. (p); Tommy Potter (b); Art Blakey (d), from 1951.

This CD is filled with wonderful, slow, relaxing jazz. The kind of music you listen to on a late evening, with someone you care for or in a mood to care for yourself. Miles, Monk & Co. were at the top of their creative energies when this was made. Their music is magical, on the level that mere mortal instrument players rarely achieve -- but then, these were no mere mortals. This music ranks among the best and most formative of all modern jazz, but here's a nice thing: it's so lovely and mellow that your non- jazz lover friends will easily love it also. I saw a gripe here on Amazon that the disc is "only" 27 minutes. Come on! The Beatles' Abbey Road, a milestone of a brilliant album, was 28 minutes long. Yes, this wonderful music is mellow and relaxing, but by no means in the universe is it "elevator" music. This is the real thing, so deep and warm it'll wash through you and soothe your soul, and be so rewarding that you can palay it over and over and still find new things to enjoy. This is great music, by musicians who stand on the pinnacle of all-time, brilliant and unequaled great jazz musicians. And it's nice, relaxing music to boot. You can't go wrong.

Put down that hefty Sunday newspaper, switch of the TV, pour yourself some real coffee, kick of those shoes, lounge back and let this album take you where it will. You deserve it.

Like 'Lift To The Scaffolds' and a few other things, this is among the Miles product that lies outside the Columbia and Warner labels.Like everything else released under Miles' name, it's high quality. It's short, and it's cool.It's also increasingly hard to find...

Very good quality

Classy classic Jazz from the master

Can’t go wrong. Great album.