Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Cannonball & Coltrane (1959)

This LP (whose contents have been reissued many times) features the Miles Davis Sextet of 1959 without the leader. Altoist Cannonball Adderley and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane really push each other on these six selections, with this version of "Limehouse Blues" really burning. Coltrane's very serious sound is a striking contrast to the jubilant Adderley alto; the latter is showcased on "Stars Fell on Alabama." With pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb playing up to their usual level, this gem is highly recommended.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Limehouse Blues (04:39)
02 - Stars Fell on Alabama (06:15)
03 - Wabash (05:44)
04 - Grand Central (04:33)
05 - You're a Weaver of Dreams (05:31)
06 - The Sleeper (07:15)

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Wynton Kelly - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums

Wynton Kelly Trio/ Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note (1965)

Smokin' at the Half Note is essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Montgomery's dynamic live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. Pat Metheny calls this "the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made," and with performances of this caliber ("Unit 7" boasts one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded) his statement is easily validated. Montgomery never played with more drive and confidence, and he's supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly Trio. In 1998, Verve reissued the complete show on disc two of Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides, although the scrambled track order and some non-essential cuts don't diminish the appeal of the original album.

by Jim Smith in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
CD 1:
01 - No Blues (12:59)
02 - If you could see me now (08:23)
03 - Unit 7 (06:46)
04 - Four on Six (06:45)
05 - What's New (06:12)

CD 2:
01 - No Blues (12:58)
02 - If you could see me now (08:22)
03 - Willow weep for me (07:52)
04 - Impressions (05:02)
05 - Pursuit of Jennie (02:57)
06 - The Surrey with the fringe on (05:33)
07 - Oh, You Crazy Moon (05:36)
08 - Four on Six (09:29)
09 - Misty (07:01)

Line-up:
Wes Montgomery – guitar
Wynton Kelly – piano
Paul Chambers – bass
Jimmy Cobb – drums

John Coltrane in Germany (1960)

Tracks:
01 - On Green Dolphin Street
02 - Walkin
03 - The Theme

Line-up:
John Coltrane - Tenor & Soprano Sax
Wynton Kelly - Piano
Paul Chambers - Bass
Jimmy Cobb - Drums
Oscar Peterson - Piano

Miles Davis Quintet - The Cool Jazz Sound (1959)

Tracks:
So What
The Duke
Blues for Pablo
New Rhumba

Line-up:
Miles Davis Quintet:
Miles Davis - trumpet, flugelhorn
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Wynton Kelly - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums

The Gil Evans Orchestra:
Ernie Royal, Clyde Reasinger, Louis Mucci, Johnny Coles, Emmett Berry - trumpet
Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Bill Elton, Rod Levitt - trombone
Julius Watkins, Bob Northern - french horn
Bill Barber - tuba
Danny Bank - bass clarinet
Romeo Penque Eddie Caine - woodwinds

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1959)

History will undoubtedly enshrine this disc as a watershed the likes of which may never truly be appreciated. Giant Steps bore the double-edged sword of furthering the cause of the music as well as delivering it to an increasingly mainstream audience. Although this was John Coltrane's debut for Atlantic, he was concurrently performing and recording with Miles Davis. Within the space of less than three weeks, Coltrane would complete his work with Davis and company on another genre-defining disc, Kind of Blue, before commencing his efforts on this one. Coltrane (tenor sax) is flanked by essentially two different trios. Recording commenced in early May of 1959 with a pair of sessions that featured Tommy Flanagan (piano) and Art Taylor (drums), as well as Paul Chambers -- who was the only band member other than Coltrane to have performed on every date. When recording resumed in December of that year, Wynton Kelly (piano) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) were instated -- replicating the lineup featured on Kind of Blue, sans Miles Davis of course. At the heart of these recordings, however, is the laser-beam focus of Coltrane's tenor solos. All seven pieces issued on the original Giant Steps are likewise Coltrane compositions. He was, in essence, beginning to rewrite the jazz canon with material that would be centered on solos -- the 180-degree antithesis of the art form up to that point. These arrangements would create a place for the solo to become infinitely more compelling. This would culminate in a frenetic performance style that noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler accurately dubbed "sheets of sound." Coltrane's polytonal torrents extricate the amicable and otherwise cordial solos that had begun decaying the very exigency of the genre -- turning it into the equivalent of easy listening. He wastes no time as the disc's title track immediately indicates a progression from which there would be no looking back. Line upon line of highly cerebral improvisation snake between the melody and solos, practically fusing the two. The resolute intensity of "Countdown" does more to modernize jazz in 141 seconds than many artists do in their entire careers. Tellingly, the contrasting and ultimately pastoral "Naima" was the last tune to be recorded, and is the only track on the original long-player to feature the Kind of Blue quartet. What is lost in tempo is more than recouped in intrinsic melodic beauty. Both Giant Steps [Deluxe Edition] and the seven-disc Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings offer more comprehensive presentations of these sessions.

by Lindsay Planer at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Giant Steps
02 Cousin Mary
03 Countdown
04 Spiral
05 Syeeda's Song Flute
06 Naima
07 Mr. P.C.
08 Giant Steps (alternate take)
09 Naima (alternate take)
10 Cousin Mary (alternate take)
11 Countdown (alternate take)
12 Syeeda's Song Flute (alternate take)

Line-up:
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums
Lex Humphries - drums
Art Taylor - drums
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Wynton Kelly - piano
Cedar Walton - piano

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)

Kind of Blue isn't merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it's an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue posses such a mystique? Perhaps because this music never flaunts its genius. It lures listeners in with the slow, luxurious bassline and gentle piano chords of "So What." From that moment on, the record never really changes pace -- each tune has a similar relaxed feel, as the music flows easily. Yet Kind of Blue is more than easy listening. It's the pinnacle of modal jazz -- tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality. All of this doesn't quite explain why seasoned jazz fans return to this record even after they've memorized every nuance. They return because this is an exceptional band -- Miles, Coltrane, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb -- one of the greatest in history, playing at the peak of its power. As Evans said in the original liner notes for the record, the band did not play through any of these pieces prior to recording. Davis laid out the themes before the tape rolled, and then the band improvised. The end results were wondrous and still crackle with vitality. Kind of Blue works on many different levels. It can be played as background music, yet it amply rewards close listening. It is advanced music that is extraordinarily enjoyable. It may be a stretch to say that if you don't like Kind of Blue, you don't like jazz -- but it's hard to imagine it as anything other than a cornerstone of any jazz collection.
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Modal Music
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 So What
02 Freddie Freeloader
03 Blue in Green
04 All Blues
05 Flamenco Sketches
06 Flamenco Sketches (alternate take)

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley - alto saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Bill Evans - piano
Wynton Kelly - piano (on Freddie Freeloader)