TALKING STOCK
RICARDO SMITH: The rhythm and the blues
Play the right solo at the right time
Known as one of the most significant jazz albums, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue has stood the test of time. However, initial reviews of the album in 1959 were not all positive. They are said to have been negative, with critics highlighting that the album sounded slow, morose, miserable and even bland.
The popular sounds were faster rhythms and melodies with swinging explosive solos from the bebop and hard bop era. Davis himself had established one of the best hard pop jazz bands at the time, having developed his skills playing under one of the great innovators of bebop — Charlie Parker. It all seemed that the future of jazz was rooted in bop and that any other developments were inconceivable. ..
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