[.ca] Milestones (W/3 Bonus Tracks)

From Amazon.com:
This 1958 date finds Davis with his first super group: alto and tenor saxophonists Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, drummer Philly Joe Jones, bassist Paul Chambers, and pianist Red Garland. It looks to the past with the bebop and blues likes of Jackie McLean's "Dr. Jackle," John Lewis and Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit," and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser." The band points solidly to the future with the modal masterpiece "Milestones," which set the stage for the historic Kind of Blue. Davis's own tune, "Sid's Ahead" has a melodic line like Benny Golson's "Killer Joe," and "Billy Boy" features Garland, Chambers, and Jones and is a stylistic shout to Ahmad Jamal. This superbly remastered edition of Milestones contains three alternate takes. "Two Bass Hit" snaps, crackles, and pops with Jones's rope-a-dope rhythms. The title track rings with an even more lyrical statement by Davis, and on "Straight, No Chaser" Coltrane delivers an even more harmonically daring solo, while Adderley takes on Trane's supersonic scalar style, capped by Chambers's grooving solo. A classic recording from a classic group. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Half a Great Album:
If Milestones is one of Miles's great albums, meriting a 5-star rating, I think it's mainly on the strength of its three best tracks: "Milestones", "Straight No Chaser" and "Sid's Ahead". For me, the three weaker tracks are the ones at the fastest tempos. "Billy Boy" is a feature for the rhythm section as a piano trio, therefore mainly for pianist Red Garland. Unfortunately, although a technically accomplished player and possibly highly regarded by many listeners, he always seemed to me a lightweight, superficial soloist; and since the piece is a corny arrangement of a very trite tune it's no surprise if it fails to improve with repeated listening, despite the brilliance of Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones which gives the piece its vitality. "Two Bass Hit" may have been an entertaining novelty number in the heyday of be-bop but it's hardly one of John Lewis's best compositions. Miles doesn't solo on this one, so it's mainly a feature for Coltrane's and Adderley's fast playing. If you like that sort of thing, there's more of it on "Dr Jackle", another rather uninteresting boppish theme. Coltrane and Adderley demonstrate their skill at playing lots of notes per minute. Miles shows how fewer notes can be used to greater effect ("less is more"), giving the impression that he is playing on top of the tempo rather than racing to keep up with it. "Milestones" (a.k.a. "Miles") is better. Like most of the material on Miles's 'Kind of Blue' album it's a simply constructed but interesting modal theme which challenges the soloists and inspires them to some carefully thought out solos. Even better in my opinion is the group's version of Thelonius Monk's up-tempo blues, "Straight No Chaser". Like "Milestones" (though it's a different kind of piece) it's an interesting composition in its own right, ingeniously constructed out of a simple motif. With its strong harmonic foundation and bouncing swing it brings out the best in Coltrane and Adderley, as in Miles himself who plays with elegance as well as 'bite'. "Sid's Ahead" is another 12-bar blues, this one at a moderate 'walking' pace - a type of piece and a tempo which suited Miles and inspired some of his best improvising (try "Walkin' " and "Bags' Groove" from 1954 and "All Blues" and "Freddie Freeloader" on 'Kind of Blue'). If you like Coltrane's and Adderley's playing of this vintage (before Trane went 'avant garde' and Cannonball went commercial) you will probably want this album if you don't already have it. If you like Garland's piano playing you will enjoy "Billy Boy" more than I do. I respect his technical skill, but I never hear any kind of 'depth' in anything he played. I've known people to feel the same about 'Cannonball' Adderley. Miles in his solos never plays less than well and there is some of his best work on what I've identified as the three best tracks. Paul Chambers is superb as usual. Philly Joe Jones is magnificent and, for aficionados of the better modern jazz drumming, he may well be the real star of the session.

4.5 stars: A great album, though not his best:
Is this a great album? By all means! Is it Miles' best? No. It's an album that lies along the way to a second ascent to genius (after the 'Birth of the Cool') with the recording of 'Kind of Blue' to bring the new modal approach into Jazz. With an amazing lineup almost ready for prime time (only "missing" Bill Evans on piano to Red Garland's great playing), Davis presents tracks from Jackie McLean (the killing opening track), Gillespie and Monk, as if to take one last solid look at the (recent) past of jazz to get ready to embark on a new sound for it. My favorite track of the whole album, the title track, which is presented in two different takes, for the listener's enjoyment.

Talk about a tough crowd...GEEZ!:
This marks an historic occasion in my reviewing history...I disagree with a favorite reviewer, Mr. Sam Chell. And when folks get slammed for a 4 star review...well, Miles definately does bring out the feelings. No, I am not partial to this "middle child", as Mr. Chell so aptly puts it. To my ear, this one seems to meander - not the tunes, but the statements; All except for Cannonball, who seems to be able to do no wrong. I don't know, this one simply doesn't move me like the others. "Two Bass Hit" sounds like it was recorded in a different studio than the first few cuts. I can see the 0-fers already! The second half of the CD does pick up considerably, starting with "Miles", and "Billy Boy" have Red, Paul, and Philly doing their thing, and doing it well - my favorite cut. Trane's best, to me, comes on "Miles", while Philly Joe keeps it good and steady with the rim click. Like I said - 4 star - just not, to me, up there with the best of the best.

One of my favorites.:
I have virtually every album Miles has ever made. I began collecting his albums when I was in fifth grade. I own pretty much everything from the 1949 Live Performances in Paris with Tadd Dameron to Star People. This particular recording is among my favorites of all of those Miles albums. It swings like no other, and is also, along with Porgy & Bess, the direct link between Miles Ahead and Kind Of Blue. Any fan of trumpet or jazz music needs to own this. Miles Davis, John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. With a group like this you'd think these guys would get in the way of each other because they're all so incredible. However, this is far from the case. They interact perfectly. From the brilliant fast pace of Jackie McLean's "Dr. Jekyll" to the stolen "Walkin'" remake "Sid's Ahead", Miles is in miraculous form on some bebop and blues. Cannonball and Trane really get into it as well. Listen to Trane tear through Dizzy Gillespie and John Lewis's "Two Bass Hit". "Miles" better known now as "Milestones" (either one is acceptable), has become a cool jazz classic and Miles sounds amazing on it. So does everyone else. "Billy Boy" gives Red Garland a chance to shine and finally solo (I don't recall him soloing on any of the previous tunes). Here Miles does not play, and reportedly asked Red to imitate Ahmad Jamal, one of his favorite pianists. What a fun tune, it swings like crazy. However, the best is saved for last on "Straight, No Chaser", with everyone going absolutely insane. Cannonball has a witty quotation of Bird's "Now's The Time" solo, check that out. Every solo is fun and swinging. If you're a fan of great music, you'll love this album. One of Miles's many great records.

Miles best album.:
This album according to me, is Miles best album. Yes, I even put it before "Kind of blue". This album has speed and elegance is hardhitting and free. If you are coming from the rock music genre and are beginning to explore the jazzworld. This is the album. Neither Bill nor Gil Evans is participating on this album and as great and fine musicians they were, I'm not quite sure that their influence on Miles musical production was entirely good. There's a lot of John Coltrane on this album and I'm a big fan of him. The title tune, "Milestones" is the ultimate hard-bop jazz anthem.

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