Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunday Swank

Miles Davis Quintet - Walkin'
Miles Davis - trumpet
Sonny Stitt - alto and tenor saxophones
Wynton Kelley - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums

I celebrated my 45th birthday last week, and one of my friends gave me this great recording of the Miles Davis Quintet from 1960. Recorded at the Olympia in Paris, it is notable for featuring Sonny Stitt on saxophones instead of long time band member John Coltrane. Miles wanted Wayne Shorter but he was unavailable, so Miles had to settle for Stitt. Their playing styles differed and there is notable stylistic tension in the music, with Miles pushing his modal style and Stitt bringing it back to the melody. Walkin' is straight up smokin'.

3 comments:

KatieJ said...

Thanks for this sweet nugget...inspired/inspiring

In NYC said...

I would only quibble with the word "settled" in re Sonny Stitt. If there hadn't been a Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt would have been thought a genius. Then again, if there wasn't a Charlie Parker, maybe no Sonny Stitt. Thanks for an uncommon post.

cubikmusik said...

happy birthday. hope you had a good one.
thanks for this, lots of great tunes.

cheers