Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else

When alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley culled together this quartet, he grabbed three champions from seemingly disparate schools to complement his flinty solos: Miles Davis, the king of cool; Art Blakey, the thundering force of hard bop; Hank Jones, a veteran of swing; and Sam Jones, a versatile bassist adaptable to nearly any setting. The results are one of Blue Note's most beloved albums. The open-ended beauty of "Autumn Leaves," which features Davis beautifully stating the melody on muted trumpet, sounds like it could easily be an outtake from Kind of Blue (which it isn't). The midtempo title track provides the centerpiece of this classic as Adderley echoes Miles's swaggering melody before both unravel wonderful solos. A must-have Blue Note album. --John Murph Amazon.com

This Album is Somethin' Else, period

If anyone ever wanted to know what Julian Cannonball Adderly is all about, go no further than track one of this album. He leaves it all on the table on Autumn Leaves. His solo there is so intense and emotion filled that it leaves you breathless.

Miles takes a back seat to Cannonball, but not because its Cannonball's gig, but because Cannonball's playing has no end to its emotional depth. It is a cliché to say it, but it is simply something else, period. And Hank Jones piano playing cannot be improved upon. It is exquisitely precise and the chords he drops makes the spine tingle. This is a good album, period.

Fifty stars June 3, 2008

a taste of honey

a brilliant cd,with an allstar cast of musicians on this session.this has been a mainstay jazz recording in the annals of jazz music,since it's release,in 1958.wonderful tracks on here,great playing from miles davis,who plays with a mute on this recording.cannonball adderly,never sounded better.this is one of the greatest jazz albums ever produced,so do yourself a favor,and go out and grab this one. April 24, 2008

Never get tired of this one

Whenever I need a lift, this is a good choice to provide one. This is also one of those CD's that, when I'm facing my music collection and not sure what I'm in the mood for, this is one of my "default" CD's. (The others are Jazz in Silhouette and Billy Taylor Trio.) You just can't go wrong when Miles Davis is involved, and Adderley brings a whole new dimension to the definition of a small horn section. Blakey's unmistakeable ferocity in driving the tunes provides a great backbone for the other musicians to build on, and each listening brings its own indescribable pleasure. I would say this is a CD that should be added to the collection of any serious jazz fan, and it would probably be a good choice for someone looking to broaden a non-jazz oriented music collection. April 6, 2008

RVG Remaster vs. Previous Edition: Something Better or Just Something Else?

I ordered the RVG Remaster without realizing I had the previous edition (remastered by Ron McMaster) in my collection. An A-B comparison reveals that the previous edition has depth, subtlety, dynamic nuance, with the opening rhythmic figure by Hank Jones followed by the sustained pianissimo whole notes of Cannonball and Miles establishing an inviting mystique, then building on this mood right up to the first chorus of what is probably the most celebrated recorded version of "Autumn Leaves" in jazz. The RVG remaster starts with "hot" mics on the piano, then on both horns, with little difference in dynamic extremes. In fact, dynamics, ensemble textures, and stereo separation become meaningless as Rudy seems intent simply on making whatever instrument is temporarily featured as loud as possible. Having been spoiled by the previous edition, not to mention Miles' sound on his classic Columbia sessions, I can't stay with the RVG remaster, though admittedly some listeners attracted to the 1950s hard bop Blue Note sound may react differently.

The bonus track on the previous edition is titled "Alison's Uncle"; on the new edition, it's "Bangoon."

I have hundreds of Van Gelder-engineered sessions past and present and have yet to hear a remaster that is a dramatic improvement (in the case of "Somethin' Else" the opposite seems true). Apparently Blue Note had second thoughts about the project and has passed it on to Concord, though the majors are increasingly pushing downloaded tracks and the bigger profit margins they bring (no packaging costs, no need to pay writers for liner notes). The RVG reissues were at least welcome for assuring the continued circulation of vital music and for the updated, frequently informative and insightful liner notes. Unfortunately, we've reached yet another stage in the digital revolution. It's exceedingly rare now to find domestic jazz releases, whether new or reissues, of any sort. Like other collectors, I've had to look to Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, Holland, etc. for reissues (and first-time releases) of historically significant, indispensable American music. (I'm left to wonder if Ken Burns' absorbing PBS series on jazz merely provoked complacency or, worse, a backlash against the music.) March 26, 2008

good music, bad transfer

4 stars for the music: it sounds like Davis' first quintet on the Prestige label - very good but not great. The reason for the single star is the 1998 transfer is awful: the treble is boosted far too high, with the result that Davis (and sometimes Adderley, too) sounds shrill above the stave, and the piano accompaniment is lost in the background. I suspect RVG was trying to give Miles the "Blue Note sound", but Miles isn't Lee Morgan (and I love Lee) and doesn't fit the mold. He's too introspective, his sound more diffuse than bright.

Blue Note needs to remaster this title to restore Miles to his rightful self. February 16, 2008

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