Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

Has anyone heard this record? I just put it on repeat, and I must say it sounds intriguing.

[Tom Storer]

There's a large consensus in the jazz world that "Kind of Blue" is overrated--basically, an uninspired flop that represents Miles Davis and his bandmates at their most forgettable. It was ignored by the critics when it came out, sold hardly any copies, and has been out of print for decades.

A historical footnote is that it explored so-called "modal" jazz, a style that went nowhere.

[Steve Reynolds]

plus that guy Coltrane is hinting at that atonal garbage that rendered him unlistenable by the end of his pitful, insignificant life.

[jazzy mary]

Never heard it. Does anyone here recommend it?

[groover]

Originally Posted by Baise Moix

Has anyone heard this record?

Never heard it. Must be pretty obscure.

Maybe you should change your name to "kick moix".

[Hot Ptah]

I think I saw a copy of the record once in a store. There was some article on the back about Japanese painting where you don't remove the brush once you start. Still, it did not look interesting enough to actually purchase.

[Enforcer]

Kind of Blue? Is that like an eleven bar I-IV-VI? I prefer the actual blues, thanks.

[Tom K]

I strongly suspect it's some kind of smooth jazz, elevator music that makes you buy more at your local supermarket.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

[Sand]

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

An appropriate warning on a Miles Davis Thread.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

And what's up with this wishy-washy "kind of" crap?! Is it blue or not? If it's blue, call it blue. If it's not blue, call it what it is, teal, indigo, whatever. But not "kind of blue", which sounds both intellectually dishonest and passive aggressive. I was only 15 at the time, but I remember telling Miles, "Call it 'Blue of a Kind', that's a much better title". But you know Miles.

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

plus that guy Coltrane is hinting at that atonal garbage that rendered him unlistenable by the end of his pitful, insignificant life.

Exactly my feelings, Steve. Coltrane's playing almost ruins this record for me, but Miles' sweet tone makes up for the deficient sax player. On the other hand, I would not call his life "pitful" or "insignificant". Every person has a right to live and perform as they like, don't they. What kind of snobbish attitude is that?

[jazzy mary]

Squaredancecaller--you are TOO funny!! "Kind of Teal", I like that!!

[Felix]

"Do you have that Miles Davis album, "King of the Blues"? What about "Kitchen of Pain"?"

"Ah, yes, Cole Poltrane! Now that was a great guy!"

"You know, that tune... It goes like this: Dum dum dum dum dum..."

etc.

[burning dog]

Bill Evans brought a flavour of the composers Ravioli and Satire to it.

[Doc Martin]

That’s my favorite Poltrane song! There’s a great live version on “Live at the Hole Note”, as for Miles I like “Inches Behind"

"Kitchen of Pain” took a few seconds and then, coffee through my nose, and all over my scrubs!....FUNNY!

[Darryl G. Thomas]

Having seen "Baise Moi" I did have questions about a certain screen name.

By the way, "Sketches of Pain" (thank you Mr. Crouch) is my favorite.

[Hot Ptah]

More of his albums which I have not heard include:
"Someday My Prints Will Come", which apparently has something to do with his other career as a visual artist;
"Gallstones", which must be about a painful medical condition which he overcame;
"Live Weevil", about his continual problems with pest control at his swanky New York home;
"In A Hoarse, Gruff, Scratchy and Sometimes Downright Silent Way", about his problems speaking after his throat operation;
"The Man With The Corn", about his continuing problems with minor yet painful foot conditions;
"Bitches Brewskis", about his fun time at a Milwaukee Braves game in which a comely female beer vendor kept him well supplied with Wisconsin's ubiquitous beverage.
I have been wondering if I should buy any of these albums, so if anyone knows anything about them, your advice will be much appreciated!

Thanks for your comments, kids. I begin to appreciate this artiste more and more. One more question, if I may ask. What is Miles's second best work of art?

[Tom Storer]

Well, it didn't actually come out under his name, but as a young man Davis accompanied an obscure R&B alto saxophonist named Charlie Parker. Parker was apparently a boring, uncultivated individual. He never came up with anything new or influential, but he was renowned for his clean living and his activities as a deacon in his church. Anyway, they recorded a little ditty called "What Is The Time" that may be Miles's second best effort after "Sort of Blue" or whatever it was called. However, it was actually just a rip-off of a hit called "The Hucklebuck" by early R&B bandleader Paul Williams. But that's Parker and Davis in a nutshell--always derivative.

[VIBEr]

I'm kinda partial to "Round About Midnight," but I have the same problem with these titles that SqdcSteve has. Why not just "Midnight"? Is it before midnight or after midnight? I hate these wishy-washy titles, too - either the gig's at midnight or it's not!

[sonic1]

Originally Posted by Felix

What about "Kitchen of Pain"?"

Kitchens of Distinction anyone?

Originally Posted by Tom Storer

But that's Parker and Davis in a nutshell--always derivative.

Did they release any new materials recently?

[Tom Storer]

No, they're dead. Even that is derivative--I mean, sooooo many people had already died before they finally got around to it.

Originally Posted by Tom Storer

No, they're dead. Even that is derivative--I mean, sooooo many people had already died before they finally got around to it.

Tom, why are you so negative? Don't you see a future for jazz? Ornette Coleman, per chance? Let me know your true thoughts and feelings, please.

[Pete C]

Miles may have been the front man, but the real credit goes to:

[Tom Storer]

Originally Posted by Baise Moix

Tom, why are you so negative? Don't you see a future for jazz? Ornette Coleman, per chance? Let me know your true thoughts and feelings, please.

Oh, don't get me started on Ornette Coleman. He was hot when he was starting out, sure, and showed up in New York with his crew of young men in snappy suits doing virtuosic extensions of the West Coast style--the media sure ate it up, too. But then he fell under the influence of that asinine provocateur, Hugues Panassié. Soon he was hired to lead the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. His worship of Bix Beiderbecke and Stan Kenton went to ridiculous excess, and his arrogant diatribes against free jazz made him seem like a pompous fool. Now he's been the official media spokesman for jazz since 1961 and if I hear his music in another elevator, I swear I'm going to get off and walk up, I don't care how many flights it is.

[crawjo]

Is Kind of Blue that album with that over-the-hill has-been bassist Paul Chambers? I saw that flabby, lobotomized piece of crap at the Vision fest a couple years ago, and the fucker couldn't play AT ALL. He was just plucking away at his strings, punctuating his music every so often with an EE-YAH!. The shit parade ended with him tap dancing for coins. It was pathetic.

[Enforcer]

Originally Posted by crawjo

Is Kind of Blue that album with that over-the-hill has-been bassist Paul Chambers? I saw that flabby, lobotomized piece of crap at the Vision fest a couple years ago, and the fucker couldn't play AT ALL. He was just plucking away at his strings, punctuating his music every so often with an EE-YAH!. The shit parade ended with him tap dancing for coins. It was pathetic.

That wasn't Paul Chambers, crawjo, it was me. And you're right, I am pathetic. What am I thinking? But hey, nickels are nickels.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

But hey, nickels are nickels.

Now you're talkin'. Forget that modren shit.