Miles Davis - Birth Of The Blue

Miles Davis — Birth of the Blue

Smash prequel to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever!

Four more songs from the pioneering ensemble that produced Miles Davis' Kind of Blue!

Modal jazz precursor laid groundwork for future jazz innovation!

180-gram vinyl

Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from a new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape transferred from the original 3-track session tapes

Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings for flawless production and superior fidelity!

Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish

"This session deserves to stand alone and not be mixed up with a bunch of other stuff. ... The goal here was to give you the spread as seen in the 30th street studio when the recording was produced as the musicians stood before the microphones. The sound is 'you are there' superb as the 30th street studio most always delivered and of course hearing this group play for the first time 'as one' is exhilarating, especially having the tracks correctly assembled on a single LP." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 — Michael Fremer, TrackingAngle.com. Read the entire review here.

"It's stunning. It's absolutely beautiful music ... honestly, if you think of it as a companion piece, a prequel — that's exactly what it is. ... the fact that it sounds most like the 45 RPM UHQR, and bear in mind this costs $40, ... it's got to be one of the bargains of the century." — Dave Denyer, YouTube video

"Just to hear this group, like probably what you would hear at a concert — that's a revelation in itself — in high fidelity, with really, really great sonics. ... Much better than any of the (other compilations). ... this gets the thumbs up from me." — Ken Micallef, Jazz Vinyl Audiophile, YouTube video

Miles Davis's Kind of Blue was the number-one jazz album in history. It totaled five songs. There are four more songs from that same historic group, recorded in the same time period and at the same studio. And here they are. These songs deserve to stand on their own with artwork to highlight the quality of the music and that matches the time period of the recording. This is a rare opportunity to have a smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever!

Through the years, these four remarkable performances — all from a single recording session in 1958 and all exemplary of the sound of Miles Davis' legend-loaded sextet of that year — have not been served well. They have been largely treated as add-ons for other compilations. Now, for the first time, Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Prssings, has deservedly given these tracks a stellar stand-alone release for jazz fans to savor!

The once-in-a-generation lineup that recorded these tunes is the very same that would be immortalized for the enduring classic they would record almost a year later, Kind of Blue. Davis played trumpet sublime with his ensemble sextet featuring pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley.

Undervalued since their recording, the tunes on this album reflect historial and musical significance. They offer early glimpses into the modal jazz that Kind of Blue would bring to the forefront. Using modes common in modern classical music, rather than the chords of popular songs, Miles had begun to experiment with the new approach on the Milestones recording sessions previously.

Analogue Productions is proud to present Birth of the Blue in an exclusive first-of-its-kind stand-alone release that reflects our reputation for meticulous production, capturing authentic sound with clarity, depth and fidelity that exceeds the audiophile standard.

For this release, we started with the original 3-track recording session tapes that were mixed down to a brand-new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape by senior mastering engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios. From that stereo master tape, Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab cut the lacquers at 33 1/3 RPM utilizing the legendary Doug Sax's custom all-tube system and cutting lathe. The lacquers were plated and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings. Lastly, the Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket with a deluxe scuff-resistant matte finish is the highest quality available. The artwork has an incredible spot-on look to a 1959 Columbia records release!

Features:
• Pioneering Ensemble: Captured the same rare and short-lived alignment of jazz legends including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, as heard on the historic Kind of Blue.
• Innovative Sound: The session represented a crucial transition in jazz, blending elements of hard bop with early modal jazz influences, showcasing the ensemble's experimentation and forward-thinking approach.
• Undervalued Legacy: Despite its historical and musical significance, the session's recordings have been historically overlooked, often relegated to being add-ons in compilations rather than recognized as standalone masterpieces.
• Modal Jazz Precursor: Offered early glimpses into the modal jazz that would later be fully realized in Davis's groundbreaking album "Kind of Blue," laying the groundwork for future jazz innovation.
• Impact on Artists: Served as a critical point of development and confidence for the musicians involved, particularly Bill Evans, who noted the significant impact of this experience on his own identity and style.
• Historical Context: Occurred at a peak moment in Miles Davis's career, following his signing with Columbia Records and his critical and commercial successes with albums such as ‘Round About Midnight and Miles Ahead.
• Revealed backstory: Extensive liner notes by the Grammy Award-winning author Ashley Kahn, who also penned the estential book, Kind Of Blue — The Making Of The Miles Davis Masterpiece

 

Music

Sound

Ratings from Michael Fremer @ trackingangle.com

Side A

1. On Green Dolphin Street

2. Fran-Dance

Side B

1. Stella By Starlight

2. Love For Sale

Customer Reviews (5.00 Stars) 8 person(s) rated this product.

Total package posted on 01/07/2025 5 Stars The sound is incredible. It is crystal clear and vividly realized. The entire room is there in the soundstage and the music is gloriously recorded. The instruments are tonally rich and detailed. The jacket is great and won't be a mess of fingerprints. Total package.

Buy Or Cry posted on 12/27/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Anthony I agree that this release is much better than I expected it to be. It's a high quality recording with each instrument in its individual acoustic space with just the slightest recess in emphasis to Bill Evans' piano. My only regret is that I did not get the more limited blue vinyl version when I had the opportunity.

Must own posted on 12/24/2024 5 Stars This really sets the vibe going into KOB. My copy was perfect, flat, centered, no tight spindle hole. Really enjoyed this one. The sound quality isn’t up to the KOB but it is great. Great price on this one too. A must own for a Miles fan. Really happy AP put this out.

It’s finally been given the release it deserves posted on 12/23/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Tom C. You’ve never heard these tracks like they are presented here. The soundstage floats free, with beautiful depth and width. The tone of instruments is brilliantly captured. These tracks have finally been delivered as a true companion piece to Kind of Blue.

A must-have for Miles Davis fans and collectors! posted on 12/18/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Rudy All of these are previously-released tracks, but they have never been assembled in one place, presented as a separate album as they are here. The highlights are the improved sonics, and the packaging, both of which honor a period-correct Columbia release from the late 1950s. It is a superb presentation of these four tracks. My vinyl copy is flawless. This one is a winner!

Fantastic Recording & Cover Artwork posted on 12/16/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Chris G This is a fantastic album. I received pressing copy number 491 in the black vinyl version. The music is masterfully reproduced and the album artwork is incredible. Not to mention the well written and informative liner notes. It's a shame that these tracks were almost left to be forgotten. Analog Productions has given them new life for all to enjoy, My only small complaint is that my copy is not quite as flat as I would like but it still plays well. I highly recommend purchasing the album when it becomes available again.

Exceeded expectations posted on 12/15/2024 5 Stars This is obviously an important release. The music is mellow and the solos are tasteful. Sonically, it exceeded expectations. Paul Chambers' bass is wonderful and Jimmy Cobb comes through clearly. Miles is piercing. Highly recommend.

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