Customer Reviews

Milestones

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With all the attention "Kind of Blue" gets, many of the other Miles Davis Sextet albums are ignored. The Sextet was one of the greatest bands ever assembled, as this record proves. Although many people believe that "Kind of Blue" was where Miles began playing modal stuff, it really began on "Milestones" on track 4, "Miles." I particularly like lisening to "Dr. Jekyll" (a misspelling of the real title, "Dr. Jackle"), because of the extremely fast tempo. The drumming of Philly Joe Jones is superb all throughout the record, as are the piano of Red Garland and the bass of Paul Chambers.

This is the finest record Miles ever recorded. There was never a finer band in the history of jazz than this one - with one minor exception, that was when Bill Evans entered (the finest jazz pianist of all times) and Philly Joe Jones was still in the band. But, unfortunatley, as far as I know, no recordings with fine sound quality are avalailable with that band, just some live recordings with not so good sound. The sound quality of Milestones is, however, fine. Miles never played better than here. There are some tracks that are super super, such as Straight No Chaser. On Sid's ahead both Miles and Coltrane play some of the very finest solos they ever recorded, hauntingly beautiful is their playing. On the other tracks Coltrane is somewhat rough and had not yet reached his mature style of playing, even though he is very very exciting. Cannonball plays his finest solo on record on Straight No Chaser. The accompanying piano trio is absolutely first class, with the greatest jazz drummer of all times, Joe Jones of Philadelphia. Just listen to the was he plays on Bliiy Boy! Red Garland of course was not a particularly great soloist but what a comp player he was! As I said, no finer jazz record was ever recorded.

Although it does not enjoy the renown that "Kind of Blue" does, "Milestones" is on the same level. It is the first studio recording of this sextet-- really the Miles Davis Quintet plus Adderly, and features all members at top form. This is especially true of Coltrane- who had kicked heroin and enjoyed an important stint with Thelonious Monk. By this time Coltrane had become the leading tenor in jazz. Dr. Jekyll gets things off to a blistering start and the group never lets down for the whole album. Perhaps it is because it does not feature ballads and slow tempos like "Kind of Blue," that "Milestones" does not enjoy as much popularity with the general public, but it is top flight jazz and features some of the finest playing for each of these jazz greats.

(Get the Complete Columbia Recordings box set from this period...)

"Milestones" is a tasty lp complete with some of the most furious recordings of this group's short recording career- Miles tears into "Two Bass Hit," "Dr, Jekyll", and his Own "Miles" like the world was coming to an end..astounding playing.

Red Garland (who would shortly be replaced by Bill Evans) is in fine form, as his rendition of "Billy Boy" clearly shows. His simple solos are accentuated beautifully by Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on the drums. A great trio setting for 3 fine musicians.

Also in fine form is the twin sax tendem of John Coltrane (fully recooperated from his drug ordeals that plagued him several years earlier) and Cannonball Adderly, both of whom add tasty licks, especially on Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser."

I highly recommend the Columbia set from this period so that you can hear alternate takes, unreleased tracks from these recordings, and the like, as well as getting these tracks mixed properly and sounding their best.

If you can not afford that set, then this lp is a fine example of the Sextet during this pivotal period. (Garland and Jones would both be out of the group shortly thereafter, both battling heroin addictions) Amazing work.

I've never understood why Kind of Blue has been more highly rated or sold better than this one. If I could have only one Miles Davis album (thankfully, I'm not that limited), this would be it. As another reviewer has stated, the cut entitled "Miles" (aka "Milestones") alone is worth the price of the CD. On my vinyl copy, I played that one cut over and over, never tiring of it. There's just a quality about the way the three horns play this staccato riff together that makes a person feel like all's right with the world.

The band's treatment of Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" is for me the definitive version of this tune. Red Garland shows off his stuff on "Billy Boy," on which the horns do not play. Cannonball Adderley's playing made him a reputation that soon led to his going off on his own. He never played better than on this CD.

John Coltrane is arguably at his very best ever on this album. Miles (in his autobiography) said he didn't like much of what Coltrane did in his last few years; but on this CD, he shows why he was the most influential tenor player of the period.

If you've been lulled to sleep by Kind of Blue, let this album wake you up to what the classic Miles Davis ensemble was capable of.

Milestones was always an underrated effort in my mind. We all know it was a classic, but Kind Of Blue was really known as Miles's classic album and jazz's classic album as well. Well, Milestones is a great album, too, and Miles comes better on this one on my mind. He does a great arrangement of that stupid song that you probably had to sing in preschool, "Billy Boy". Miles doesn't play on that one, but "Straight, No Chaser", is incredible. So is "Miles" and "Sid's Ahead", which are great Miles performances. You must have this soulful swinging album!

Ok, ok, like this cd or any other by Miles Davis really needs a review... i guess i'm doing this for me more than you, but here goes.
This music cd is wonderous. ask yourself: is there anything more wonderous than being present and being lifted elsewhere with beautiful music? i mean, other than then the feeling when looking into the eyes of someone you really love, or the state of being when holding another like you really mean it? yeah, that's the feeling you'll get when you listen to Milestones or Billy Boy. While we're at it, another reason to go and buy this cd is because Julian Adderley is on it (and a few other household names like Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, Red Garland, Paul Chambers), and I have yet to find a recording i don't ablsolutely love on which Cannonball Adderley plays. I don't know if this digital remastering messed with the effect but i highly doubt it...
Enjoy yourself! I know i do, now that i've possibly helped you become a richer person. Hey, at least i tried.
ahhhhhh, go ahead. Get it! You won't regret it.

This is the finest record Miles ever recorded. There was never a finer band in the history of jazz than this one - with one minor exception, that was when Bill Evans entered (the finest jazz pianist of all times) and Philly Joe Jones was still in the band. But, unfortunatley, as far as I know, no recordings with fine sound quality are avalailable with that band, just some live recordings with not so good sound. The sound quality of Milestones is, however, fine. Miles never played better than here. There are some tracks that are super super, such as Straight No Chaser. On Sid's ahead both Miles and Coltrane play some of the very finest solos they ever recorded, hauntingly beautiful is their playing. On the other tracks Coltrane is somewhat rough and had not yet reached his mature style of playing, even though he is very very exciting. Cannonball plays his finest solo on record on Straight No Chaser. The accompanying piano trio is absolutely first class, with the greatest jazz drummer of all times, Joe Jones of Philadelphia. Just listen to the way he plays on Billy Boy! Red Garland of course was not a particularly great soloist but what a comp player he was! As I said, no finer jazz record was ever recorded.

Miles Davis / Milestones (Columbia - original 6 track version): While this is an interesting album, it is not one I love. However, his version of "Straight, no chaser" is an excellent track. The rest of the album was good, not great. Four Stars

Ordered this classic jazz used. It came in under a week. The CD & case are like new and the liner notes (the booklet that comes w/ the CD for you young folks) is in great shape. Thanks kleindogg.