Davis’ classic rings true a half-century later

‘ ‘ ‘ I could sit here and critically analyze every single track of Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’… ‘ ‘ ‘ I could sit here and critically analyze every single track of Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’ by discussing structure, chord progressions and timbre even. Scholars have released countless essays and books praising Kind of Blue as the ultimate jazz masterpiece. ‘ ‘ ‘ I could go into the Columbia/Legacy 50th Anniversary Legacy Edition, noting how it includes, in addition to’ the five original tracks already immortalized in the jazz world, the rest of the studio recordings. It even features four bonus tracks ‘not;’mdash; one of which with an alternative take ‘mdash; as well as a live recording of ‘So What.” ‘ ‘ ‘ But I don’t think I need to. ‘ ‘ ‘ These bonuses are like the special features on a DVD. For dedicated collectors, the Legacy Edition will be one more disc to treasure. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Kind of Blue was my first jazz album. My drum teacher had me go to Gallery of Sound, a record store in my hometown of Scranton (he always made me support the local music efforts, no Best Buy or f.y.e. garbage). I knew that Miles Davis was going to be good: All my pot-head, hippie friends told me Davis was a god for his 1970 album Bitches Brew (‘There’s nothing like tripping on ‘Bitches Brew,” they would say). ‘ ‘ ‘ The only jazz I had listened to before Kind of Blue was the soundtrack to Disney/Pixar’s 2004 ‘The Incredibles,’ if you even want to count that. ‘ ‘ ‘ I won’t lie. I was bored after the first track, bored of the same verse and chorus. I thought those notes only could combine so many different ways in solos before making me want to go read an encyclopedia. ‘ ‘ ‘ So I tried to think, ‘What made this interesting to the musicians playing this?’ An idea struck me. I grabbed a pen and some paper and started the album over. I figured out jazz my own way, writing down stories to each song, why Davis wrote them and what they are about. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘So What’ starts with a quiet, subtle piano solo, but then a moving bass line brings the rest of the band in. You picture an early morning in New York. The sun dominates the crisp winter sky, and everyone is off to work in trench coats and with briefcases. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Freddie Freeloader’ is the guy who decided to stay home and avoid the bustle, wake up at 11 instead of 7 and just wander around the city without anything to do. I didn’t just assume this description from the title of the track: The tune is relaxing and laid-back, although every now and then, I get the vibe that Freddie sometimes wishes he had something to care about, be it either from a long whine during Davis’ trumpet solo or an irregular chord of tension from Wynton Kelly’s piano. ‘ ‘ ‘ The rain starts to pour right before the lunch hour in ‘Blue in Green.’ People are already tired of the hustle and bustle, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to stop anytime soon. ‘ ‘ ‘ Maybe some workers already miss their significant others. Davis’ muted trumpet in the beginning of the track just adds to the depressing milieu, and you can picture each drop fall in an almost black-and-white background. ‘ ‘ ‘ Davis defines cool in ‘All Blues.’ Walking back to work from lunch break, there’s always this one guy who’s the epitome of cool. He’s got the good clothes, the lovely women and is always grinning. This guy is definitely listening to ‘All Blues’ while he walks. ‘ ‘ ‘ Lastly, ‘Flamenco Sketches’ is coming home from the long day. The trumpet and sax solos both remind you that there’s just another day tomorrow with the same old chaotic push and shove crowds, with each person going their own way. At least there’s relief occasionally from a note that reminds you of your loved one, waiting for you to get back, and those few hours you get to spend with each other before going to a peaceful sleep. ‘ ‘ ‘ I’m no jazz expert. I know that Kind of Blue revolutionized jazz, but I don’t know how, or why. All I know is that Davis puts on a genuine performance in Kind of Blue. It’s like when you get so absorbed into a movie you forget about the real world. ‘ ‘ ‘ Kind of Blue is not only a jazz album for beginners, it’s for experts too. It’s ‘The Dummy’s Guide to Jazz’ and ‘The Jazz Bible,’ simultaneously. ‘ ‘ ‘ Go to the library, the record store, your dad’s old vinyl records, look for Kind of Blue and experience something that should be experienced by every creative individual out there.