MUSIC OR DIE #20: Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue" (1959)

I don't see much blue except for your vest? The font maybe? Is this why jazz continues to perplex me?

Part 20 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to be a trash human who can't appreciate jazz.

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>



I'm so sorry...I'm genuinely running out of things to say for these. So, each song blurb will be accompanied by pictures I found while Googling the word "whimsical." You're welcome.

1.) So What - Minimalistic opening, with primarily just a bass...then a brass call and response...and it builds...and it builds...and then there's Miles. Still, all roads lead back to that bass. Mmm.

2.) Freddie Freeloader - What a great song title. Have to admit I read the YouTube comments while I listened, and a few pointed out that it's a lot like the opening to "So What" in reverse. Cool! The real star is that saxophone.

3.) Blue in Green - Beautiful solo piano opening, then that trumpet sidles on in. Very much the soundtrack for a dimly-lit, smoky bar. Sounds like it should be in a great nouveau film noir. I'm into it.

4.) All Blues - Is it all blues? Is it really? I love the rhythmic brass backing of the first two minutes or so that comes back at the end to take us home. 

5.) Flamenco Sketches - I suppose there's a loose connection with flamenco...? It's fairly downtempo - again, I'm about that sexy sax. Atmospheric.

Meet Tim, the whimsical woodsman

FINAL THOUGHTS:
As stated multiple, multiple times, I'm uncultured swine without a real appreciation for jazz. That said, I genuinely enjoyed this! I actually appreciated how 'unedited' his trumpet was, the smoothest of the sax, and how relaxed and free it all felt overall. As with all the others of this kind I've reviewed, I'm not chomping at the bit for more and more of this, but I'm cool with it. Good thing there's almost assuredly much more jazz to come in this challenge.

Personal standout tracks:
"Blue in Green" - fun fact, though, apparently this wasn't written by Miles Davis, which became something of An Issue.

And also with you, Tim.