Customer Reviews

Blue Haze

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't understand what the previous "reviewer" was talking about, that miles was playing it square here. This is a beautiful, relaxed album, and one of the only quartet recordings miles did. Plus, he plays the open trumpet on every tune. He made this album when he was waking up from his blue haze of heroin addiction, right before he went on to huge fame and success and you can hear all his new ideas formulating on this record. However, if you're only accustomed to later Miles Davis records where he was fueled by fiery tenormen like Shorter and Coltrane, then maybe it might sound too laid back for you. I dunno.

Yeah, we know Miles went through many phases and stages, but this is where I started with Miles after I initially heard "Sketches of Spain", then I went to "Round MidNight" with Coltrane, and then backwards to Mile's Charlie Parker days, then I went forward to "Live at the BlackHawk", then "Kind of Blue". Whew. That's alot of ground, but Miles was mercurial and great at everything he did, never stopping very long to smell a particular group of roses before moving on to the next challenge.

The 'Piece D'Resistance' here is the extended performance of "I'll Remember April". A huge, mind-opening performance!! Arrangement-wise (very uptempo & Native-American oriented), performance-wise, it's just wonderful, and I've listened to it for decades with the same wonder and enjoyment. Kenny Clarke's brushwork is too much, and Davey Schildkraut (alto) and Miles (muted trumpet) blow wonderful, inspired solos still fresh today; but Horace Silver's two piano solos steal the show and even his piano fills during the magnificent Percy Heath 'walking bass' section are exceptional. Worth the entire CD!! Don't miss this!

"Tune Up" and "Smooch" (with Mingus' amazing pianism and double stops) are also great, but another gem is "Four". Few times in the history of jazz music has so much wonderful stuff been done in so little time than on "Four". Totally mesmerizing. And I absolutely love Miles' solo, the ultra hip and clever Horace Silver piano solo, and Blakey's wonderful rimshot groupings. WOW!

AFTERTHOUGHT: The song "Tune Up" later received a legendary extended and wonderful performance by Sonny Rollins on The Very Best. Mingus also displays more of his piano work on his solo piano CD [Mingus Plays Piano]. Buy all three and enjoy the overlap.

I'm a jazz pianist. I still have the orignal LP of this, the first by Miles that I ever owned. Several of the hundreds of songs I know I learned from this album. It's a classic, with an enviable lineup of world-class musicians and first-rate, sensitive solos. It marks a time of extended transition for Miles between his bebop/cool beginnings and his later modal and post-bop periods.

Blue Haze is another Miles favorite of mine that I have on the original two sided 45 record and wanted on the CD. Great on the originak record and still great on the CD.

Taken from three distinct recording sessions - with bassist Percy Heath being the only consistent sideman - the album was released in 1954.

Featuring musicians like Kenny Clarke (d), Art Blakey (d), Horace Silver (p) and Charles Mingus (p), the material is from May 19, 1953; March 15, 1954 and April 3, 1954. The eight tracks clock in at 30:05, with Miles Ahead and the title track edging away from the tight pack of quality music.

The playing may not be fast and furious, but the sound is smooth as Miles is churning out cool grooves.

Good solid music.very Relaxin&cool too chill to.I'll Remember April is A Good Song.Miles's Tone Sounds Great.

Miles is the man. He is my musical hero. "I'll Remember April", is the best one on this CD. I am a trumpet prodigy, at age thirteen, and right now I'm a Miles Davis disciple.

3 1/2


High quality warm-up material here not to be dismissed is on par with some of his overpraised conceptual works further down the era.

yeah - i dont really care about this CD, i just wanted to clarify that "Smooch" was not written by Miles, as specified on the album - it is really a Mingus song, and was more commonly referred to as "Weird Nightmare."

Miles Davis could play it all. He was the Prince of Cool. He did more great jazz albums than almost anyone else.

This IS NOT one of them.

"Blue Haze" is square! Miles plays square. So do the others. As if the whole album were a jazz parody. Clipped notes and phrases.

Was this a joke??