Search - Miles Davis :: Ballads and Blues

If ya dig 'Kind Of Blue,' you will dig this

wednightprayermeeting | Bellview, CA | 02/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Ballads And Blues' is nine cuts from 1950,'52,'53,'54, and '58. This is not bop, rather it shows, in the early '50s tunes, Miles in the process revolutionizing jazz by laying the groundwork for what would become known as Hard Bop. This is modal Miles. His cast of players range from Max Roach (1 track only), Art Blakely, Cannonball Adderley, bassist Percy Heath, trombonist J.J. Johnson.....among others. No Coltrane, though. Nevertheless, it is a nice mellow album with solid, dreamy songs. I especially dig "Weirdo" and "Moon Dreams.""

A Great Disc if you are new to Jazz and Miles Davis

Tom Ribando | New York, NY USA | 07/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ballads and Blues may not be considered one of Miles's masterpieces, although it is one of my favorite in my Miles Davis collection. This is a great album for folks that are new to Jazz and kind of acts as a Bridge to other great Miles Davis albums like Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, and of course Porgy and Bess. The music on this album has a hypnotic subtlty to it that helps me unwind after a rough day at the office, or helps make an unpleasant drive, a little less so. If you are new to Jazz and are looking to add a few discs to your collection, you will certainly get your money's worth with this one because it is worth listening to many times. Other Miles Albums I would Reccomend to first time or new Jazz Buyers are in this Order: Kind of Blue, Porgy and Bess, E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Sketches of Spain and the Birth of the Cool. (People may argue about which of those are the best, but they are all great.) Ken Burns also put out a compilation Miles Davis CD, and other artists as well, that feature essential Miles recordings from his excellent Jazz Mini-Series. Again, while this album may not be considered one of Miles' great masterpieces, I play it more than I do some of his masterpeices. I hope this review helped you."

Very nice

S CORBETT | Los AngelesLos Angeles | 01/15/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Those who like Davis's cooler, bluesy/modal material will appreciate this. A precursor to "Kind Of Blue," although not nearly as daring and original. Recommended, but not essential."