Workin With the Miles Davis Quintet (20 Bit Mastering)

Artist: Miles Davis Quintet
Label: Prestige
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 025218486026
EAN: 0025218486026
ASIN: B00008OM8E

Release Date: 2003-04-01

Related Categories:

Bebop General

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

Hard Bop

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Essential Prestige/Riverside/Fantasy Jazz 20-bit Remasters!
Artist of the Month: Miles Davis
5 cd's every jazzer must have
Get to know Miles Davis
Mileage
Favorite Miles Davis in no order
My favorite Jazz of lost creative America
Music I Love
The Best of Miles Davis
albums i've purchased in 2003

Tracks:

It Never Entered My Mind
Four
In Your Own Sweet Way
The Theme (Take 1)
Trane's Blues
Ahmad's Blues
Half Nelson
The Theme (Take 2)

Similar Items:

Steamin With the Miles Davis Quintet (20 Bit Mastering)
Relaxin' With Miles (20 Bit Mastering)
Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Walkin' (20 Bit Mastering)

Customer Reviews:

Solid Miles/Trane Prestige-era.......2005-08-18

Prestige was a record label used by musicians who wanted to get paid quick. Unlike the major labels of the time, Prestige wouldn't allow much practice time in the studio and most tracks were recorded in one take. It was a label monopolized by drug users who wanted fast cash to score heroin, according to Miles Davis in his autobiography, MILES.

There were four LP's recorded during this time, (Workin', Cookin', Relaxin', and Steamin') - I own all of them except 'Steamin, and so far, Workin' is my favorite. All of these records, as well as earlier Prestige with Sonny Rollins are a bit rushed and the sound quality is a little more sub-par. If not for the presence of Coltrane, these would be one or two-star releases, but this early quintet material is priceless.

The shining moment on this record is 'In Your Own Sweet Way' - Miles engages in some wonderful playing, using a harmon mute, just as with the first track, 'It Never Entered My Mind.' After the trumpet part, Coltrane plays a mind-numbing, warm-toned solo, which is one of my favorite quintet moments from the mid-50's. In some ways, there are elements in this recording that I feel surpass anything we hear on KIND OF BLUE, however there are some inconsistencies, the sound quality being one of them.

The second half of the album begins and ends with a 'Theme'. Songs like 'Trane's Blues' and 'Ahmad's Blues' are pretty boring, and I feel the latter has the potential to really swing hard, but it lacks the emotion to reach that point. 'Half Nelson' is a be-bop classic, and unlike the previous tracks, the band is much more tight. Trane and Miles both have solos that are well-constructed, and it sounds like they were more familiar with playing this particular track...as if they had rehearsed it many times before.

As a listener, you can't go into this record expecting to hear perfect music...we can leave it to records like A LOVE SUPREME, GIANT STEPS, and KIND OF BLUE to carry the torch. This doesn't mean the listener should avoid these earlier recordings, but I recommend them for fans who already own the more important records. Of the cd's in this 4-disc set, I believe Workin' is the best, and is a great starting point.

Better, Much Better.......2003-10-11

"Workin' With the Miles Davis Quintet" was one of the first Jazz albums I ever bought. It holds a great deal of nostalgia for me. The material is timeless, yet still recalls the beginning of my Jazz "education" of the early 1990s.

Musically, Miles and company really cook. The rhythm section of Red Garland(Piano), Paul Chambers(Bass) and "Philly" Joe Jones(Drums) keep the pace. The trio really shines on "Ahmad's Blues", with Chambers taking a wonderful bowed(Arco) solo. But the real star of this album is Miles himself. His haunting performance on "It Never Entered My Mind" is probably the most beautiful thing the man ever played. That track is worth the price of this album alone. Miles also delivers the goods with his strong solo statements on "Four", "Trane's Blues" and "Half Nelson." John Coltrane(Tenor Saxophone) is good, but not great on "Workin'", his solo on the Dave Brubeck tune "In Your Own Sweet Way" is rather aimless, as Trane struggles to find his way through the tune. It's actually quite interesting to hear Coltrane search for his voice on these sessions. He is the only one here who hasn't reach his creative maturity.

Soundwise, the new remaster is superb, and I am very picky about imperfections, especially analog tape hiss. There's virtually no hiss to be found here and for those of you who are thinking of upgrading from the 1987 OJC release, do so now! The sound is wonderful! The rhythm section is more upfront in the mix (where it should be) and the range of the recording itself is a big improvement. Its louder, crisper and bigger-sounding. Get this cd now!!!

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

The Only Way to Beat Us to Cheat Us ~ Wossness 2001

Still Not Getting Any... ~ Simple Plan

Eat It ~ Humble Pie

Planet Reverb ~ Jetpack

In Thought

Flummoxed ~ Fly Ashtray

Finally ~ Ce Ce Peniston

Back Up Against the Wall ~ Atlanta Rhythm Section

Skinny but Dangerous ~ Kingpin Skinny Pimp

Sparkle ~ Comin' of Age