The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece

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St. Martin's Publishing Group, Sep 10, 2013 - Music - 192 pages
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From the moment it was recorded more than 40 years ago, Miles Davis's Kind of Blue was hailed as a jazz classic. To this day it remains the bestselling jazz album of all time, embraced by fans of all musical genres. The album represented a true watershed moment in jazz history, and helped to usher in the first great jazz revolution since bebop.

The Making of Kind of Blue is an exhaustively researched examination of how this masterpiece was born. Recorded with pianist Bill Evans, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, composer/theorist George Russell and Miles himself, the album represented a fortuitous conflation of some of the real giants of the jazz world, at a time when they were at the top of their musical game. The end result was a recording that would forever change the face of American music.

Through extensive interviews and access to rare recordings Nisenson pieced together the whole story of this miraculous session, laying bare the genius of Miles Davis, other musicians, and the heart of jazz itself.

 

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LibraryThing Review

User Review  - jasoncomely - LibraryThing

I 've always loved "Kind of Blue", but my appreciation of the album, the artists involved, and Jazz in general, has grown exponentially since reading this book. As a bonus, Nisenson clearly explains ... Read full review

THE MAKING OF KIND OF BLUE: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece

User Review  - Kirkus

Jazz biographer Nisenson (Blue, 1997) traces the history of a pivotal jazz recording.Kind of Blue, the biggest-selling jazz album ever (and the only jazz recording ever to go double-platinum) featured ... Read full review

Selected pages

Contents

Copyright Notice
End of an
Miless Mode Part
Miless Mode Part
The Lydian Odyssey of George Russell
Tranes Passionate Journey
The Lonely Road of Bill Evans
Appendix
Copyright

Other editions - View all

The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece
Eric Nisenson
Limited preview - 2001
The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece
Eric Nisenson
Limited preview - 2000
The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece
Eric Nisenson
No preview available - 2001
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Common terms and phrases

Adderley’s addiction African American alto saxophonist artist audience band bassist beautiful bebop became become Benny Bill Evans Bird Blue in Green Blue sessions boppers Cannonball Adderley Cannonball’s career Charlie Parker chord classical music Coltrane’s composer Concept cool course create developed Dizzy Gillespie drummer Ellington emotional Evans’s eventually famous feeling Freddie Freeloader freedom George Russell gigs Gil Evans harmonic heard horn ideas important improvisation influenced innovations jazz history jazz musicians jazz scene Jimmy Cobb John Coltrane Kind of Blue LaFaro leader Lester Young listen live lyricism Macero melodic Miles Davis Miles’s group Milestones modal modern jazz modes Monk never notes ofjazz performance Philly Joe Jones pianist piano piece players playing quintet recorded Red Garland rhythm section Russell’s seemed sextet simply solo soloist Sonny Rollins sound spiritual studio style tempo Thelonious theory thing told tonal trio trumpeter tune wanted Wynton Kelly York

About the author (2013)

Eric Nisenson is the author of 'Round About Midnight: Portrait of Miles Davis, Ascension: John Coltrane and his Quest, Blue: The Murder of Jazz, and Open Sky, a biography of Sonny Rollins. He lives in Massachusetts.

Bibliographic information

QR code for The Making of Kind of Blue
TitleThe Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece
AuthorEric Nisenson
PublisherSt. Martin's Publishing Group, 2013
ISBN1466852259, 9781466852259
Length192 pages
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Music / Genres & Styles / Jazz
  
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