Jazz at the Plaza, Vol. 1 [LIVE] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Miles Davis

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 17, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1974
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00005B58Z
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,571 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Miles Davis's Kind of Blue is nothing if not legendary, and this live date--never before released on CD--captures most of the classic Kind of Blue band in concert. Recorded at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan in 1958 and originally released in 1973, this live set superbly spotlights Davis's "walking on eggshells" melodicism. Pianist Bill Evans, alto and tenor saxophonists Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and Davis blow the blues on Sonny Rollins's "Oleo" and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser." Davis's warm, Harmon-muted trumpet melodically shoots Cupid's arrow on "If I Were a Bell" and "My Funny Valentine," with Evans's piano lines sounding equally footed in Ravel and modal bop. Add the Bird flights of Adderley and the spooling energy of Coltrane and you have one of the top groups at the top of their game. This is a marvel, a hot and cool preview to the band's landmark 1959 Kind of Blue explorations. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Product Description

This CD plays 4 tracks from the Miles Davis Sextet.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent music / not so excellent recording quality..., April 22, 2001

By	J. Lund "jazzbrat" (SoCal, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Here is the sextet that recorded much of KIND OF BLUE, heard in performance not long before that legendary album was cut. Two classic bop-era tunes (STRAIGHT, NO CHASER, OLEO) and two standard pop ballads (MY FUNNY VALENTINE, IF I WERE A BELL) comprise the short set. The uptempo tunes have a more aggressive demeanor than KIND OF BLUE, but I would say if you like the music on that album you'll be happy with the performances here, too. However...

...if you are not a Miles Davis collector but wish to sample more of his music from the KIND OF BLUE era, I recommend picking up the studio albums ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT and MILESTONES next, rather than this CD. Furthermore, if you are looking for a live album from this period, I recommend AT NEWPORT 1958 first. FYI, all of the studio and live recordings I have mentioned in this review are on the Miles Davis & John Coltrane COMPLETE RECORDINGS boxed set.

On JAZZ AT THE PLAZA, the sound quality is a bit rough (Miles' trumpet is too-often off-mike), which is probably why this 1958 set wasn't released until the early-1970s. Clearly it wasn't taped with the thought of releasing the results to the public in mind (recording conditions were far from optimal, with the hum of audience chatter present throughout the entire set). This tape was probably dug up and issued in the 1970s to appease those acoustic jazz fans who weren't too happy with Davis' then-current electric directions in music.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars better sound quality than before, but could still be better, May 31, 2001

By	Steve Marshall "Steve" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jazz at the Plaza was recorded at a press party at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, but not released until 1973 (it was never available before on CD). The group only played four songs, but the recording is far from flawless. Miles was playing off-mike at the beginning of "If I Were a Bell," and in some spots the crowd noise (talking, glasses clinking together, etc) is almost louder than the music. But to these ears, this just adds to the ambience of the recording, effectively creating the sense of 'being there.' And although the sextet was not playing at their best, the interaction between Miles, Coltrane, and Cannonball remained creative and inspired. Coltrane, in particular, takes this material to new heights. As I mentioned earlier, the sound quality is definitely not great; but it's better than any previous version and it conveys the feeling and excitement of a live performance.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smokin' Hot Ignore the Recording Quality Whiners, December 22, 2007

By	Talking Wall "Never trust a man with manicure... (Queen Creek, AZ) - See all my reviews

This is an extremely good set by what is probably the greatest group of talented individuals ever assembled to play "jazz". I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the 2 and 3 star ratings. Let me remind you that in 1958, live recordings were very rare. In fact, I have some live recordings from earlier dates by Charlie Parker and they are FAR worse than Jazz at the Plaza. The record companies did not have the methodology down nor did they have the technology to record live events and make 'em sound spectacular.
Why do you listen to music like this anyway? Do you wet yourself over the fidelity? No, you wet yourself over the incredible licks laid down by Miles, Trane, Cannonball, and Evans. Good Lord, two stars. Obviously those reviewers do not understand the significance of that little bit of plastic spinning 'round in the CD player.

Ok, enough of that. I own over 80 Miles Davis CDs. I am well read on the man's life and his music. I won't say I'm an expert but I probably know far more about this music than most of the reviewers out here. So trust me, this is a great great great session. These guys blew the roof off The Plaza on the evening of September 9, 1958. In fact, when this recording was made, it was not meant to be a commercial release. It was recorded as a kind of keepsake by Irving Townsend. Music by this Miles' sextet is exceedingly rare if you think about it. We have just a few sessions available for our enjoyment. Thank God Columbia decided to release this date. Thank you Columbia (Sony)!

So, is the recording quality great? No. Is it terrible to the point of distraction and painful listening? Heck no! Yes, Miles is a bit off mic here and there. One reviewer claims the background players are louder than Miles. I sure don't hear it that way, but if you do find this to be true, that's what equalizers are for. Two stars indeed. If one is so concerned about fidelity, one should pick up some of those stereo demonstration recordings used in stereo shops and listen to those all day.