#kindofblue

We're diving into the iconic world of jazz albums, and we want to hear from YOU! 💬 Whether you’re a seasoned jazz enthusiast or just getting started, these albums are legends in the genre. But we’re curious—which one resonates with you the most? 🤔

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue 

Kind of Blue is a studio album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released on August 17, 1959, by Columbia Records. For this album, Davis led a sextet featuring saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb, with new band pianist Wynton Kelly replacing Evans on “Freddie Freeloader”. The album was recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio in New York City in two sessions on March 2 and April 22, 1959.

Reception.

Since its release on August 17, 1959, Kind of Blue has been regarded by critics as Davis's greatest work. It is his most acclaimed album, and became, along with Davis's 1970 album Bitches Brew, his best-selling record, cementing him as one of the most successful jazz artists in history. Music writer Chris Morris cited Kind of Blue as "the distillation of Davis's art”.

In a review of the album, AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated:

“Kind of Blue isn't merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it's an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue possess such a mystique? Perhaps because this music never flaunts its genius. ... It's the pinnacle of modal jazz — tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality. ... It may be a stretch to say that if you don't like Kind of Blue, you don't like jazz — but it's hard to imagine it as anything other than a cornerstone of any jazz collection.”

Personnel: Miles Davis – trumpet Julian “Cannonball” Adderley – alto saxophone John Coltrane – tenor saxophone Bill Evans – piano