1. Dig
2. It's Only a Paper Moon
3. Denial
4. Bluing
5. Out of the Blue
6. My Old Flame
7. Conception
Miles Davis - Trumpet
Sonny Rollins - Tenor sax
Jackie McLean - Alto sax (tracks 1, 3, 5)
Walter Bishop - Piano
Tommy Potter - Bass
Art Blakey - Drums
This album from 1951 (not 1961, as the rear sleeve states) is one of a series of Prestige recordings now remastered by Joe Tarantino. It was made at a time when the arrival of vinyl discs meant that recordings could occupy more than the previous limit of about three minutes. Miles's group was allowed to stretch out on these tracks, so that the shortest lasts four minutes and the longest nearly ten.
It has always seemed to me that Miles Davis was lucky to be involved in the early days of bebop, as his technique was nowhere near as good as that of bebop's main progenitors, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. You might say that he showed promise in his recordings with Parker and especially in the late-forties Birth of the Cool sessions (which perhaps indicated a way for Miles to move forward without having to cope with the demands of the speediest beboppers).
But Miles was still finding his feet in 1951 and his playing on this session is alternately impressive and embarrassing. His colleagues, Sonny Rollins and Jackie Mclean, convey confidence but, when Miles solos, I tend to feel nervous in case he fluffs a note or plays something out of tune with the chords. The opening title-track is based on the chords of Sweet Georgia Brown and Davis gets out of sync with the other musicians at one point in his solo, whereas Rollins's solo is thrusting and confident. Rollins was only just 21, and the 19-year-old Jackie McLean also makes a good showing.
Miles sounds more at ease with the gentler tempo of It's Only a Paper Moon. Rollins contributes a shapely solo before Davis comes in again but this time Miles splits some notes as he attempts to touch the ceiling. The group returns to a fast pace for Denial, where Miles' and Sonny's solos are untidy, although Sonny is playing an out-of-tune tenor sax that he borrowed from J. R. Monterose. Jackie McLean sounds most at ease. The track ends inconclusively after Miles exchanges ragged fours with Art Blakey.
The easy, loping blues called Bluing gives pianist Walter Bishop a couple of opening choruses, although he is generally under-used on this session. Miles's solo is very respectable but Sonny tops him with a solo which seems repeatedly tempted to go into double-time. The original LP ended with Out of the Blue, based on Get Happy, with a nice lead-in ensemble, and the medium tempo seems to suit everybody.
This CD contains two extra tracks which were recorded at the same session. My Old Flame is a ballad with tender playing from Miles and breathily expressive tenor from Sonny. Its disorganised ending may explain its omission from the original LP. George Shearing's composition Conception is an up-tempo romp, on which Walter Bishop finally gets a whole chorus for himself. The rhythm section is one of the assets of this recording - especially drummer Art Blakey, who keeps a flame burning beneath the music.
The CD's recording quality is not all that great and, even with the bonus tracks, it only includes about 45 minutes of music. Perhaps Miles Davis was under par because of the heroin habit that afflicted him at this time, but this album is hardly an essential purchase for Davis fans, although enthusiasts for Rollins or McLean may find it more rewarding.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Original Jazz Classics 0888073233278
