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— The Analog Vault // Essential Listening —

Analogue Productions, the world leader in high quality vinyl production, is thrilled to announce the release of Birth of the Blue, a collection documenting the transformative first session in 1958 by the same ensemble that would go on to record Kind of Blue — one of the greatest and greatest-selling jazz albums of all time — the following year. Featuring Davis’ legendary sextet - John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb — who had first come together less than two weeks prior, this historic set was recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio, and captures the origins of a momentous shift in modern jazz. Featuring four tracks, including three ballads and one Davis original, the music was meticulously remastered from new transfers of the original stereo session tapes, and is presented here as a standalone release for the first time ever.

The sextet was less than two weeks old when they assembled at CBS Records’s 30th Street Studio for their first session on May 26. Yet they were ready. They recorded four tunes: three ballads — two inspired by pianist Ahmad Jamal, whose 1950s group Miles adored and drew inspiration from, plus a new Miles original. The great length of the [Miles] sextet version… in contrast to the starkly inflected Blue Note arrangement, Davis gets a consistently dancing groove from Chambers and Cobb, who reportedly had requested an opportunity to cook after their more restrained work on the previous tracks. The blowing atmosphere favors Davis…and Adderley who excelled on these chord changes. Evans, for all his supposed prettiness, [is] a touch on the brittle side…and his inventions also contain dashes of Thelonious Monk and Lennie Tristano.

As Evans later told arranger Sy Johnson, the rhythm section did in fact push for the upbeat approach. “Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb were getting edgy having to hold back, and wanted to cook on something. Miles just turned and said, ‘Love for Sale’ and kicked it off.” The feel of release is palpable. It’s telling that compared to the band’s more meticulous handling of the first three tunes on the date — requiring up to seven takes of each — the band took but one pass at “Love For Sale” before calling it quits. — via Label

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Label: Analogue Productions, Columbia, Sony Music
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Stereo
Reissued: 2024 / Original Release: 1979
Genre: Jazz
Style: Modal

File under: Audiophile Jazz
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