Miles Davis Birth of the Blue

Michael Fremer Rated 10/10 Music, 10/10 Sound!
4 More Songs from the Same Pioneering Ensemble That Produced Miles Davis' Kind of Blue!
180g Vinyl Plated & Pressed at Quality Record Pressings!
Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab!
Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue" is undisputedly considered THE jazz album par excellence: an ensemble and five songs that wrote music history! What many jazz enthusiasts don't know, however, is that in the 1958 studio recording sessions, which would make the sextet led by trumpet maestro Davis, consisting of pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, a legend, four more songs were created – compositions that deserve to be combined on a single LP. to be immortalized!
Here it is now: "Birth Of The Blue" is nothing less than the unique document of a genius and his no less brilliant companions. The pieces on this album reflect the historical and musical significance of the protagonists and offer fascinating insights into the modal jazz that made "Kind Of Blue" immortal.
Analogue Productions is proud to present "Birth Of The Blue" in an exclusive vinyl release: the original 3-track recordings have been lovingly mixed into a brand new 30 IPS quarter-inch stereo master tape by lead mastering engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios. This was then cut by Matthew Lutthans (The Mastering Lab) at 33 rpm using Doug Sax's legendary all-tube system and cutting system. Made of 180 gram vinyl, the LP was of course pressed at Quality Record Pressings and comes with an extremely luxurious, abrasion-resistant cover from Stoughton Printing. "Birth Of The Blue" offers a highly audiophile sound experience, an extremely high repertoire value and is therefore a must-buy - not only for fans of Miles Davis!
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 Pressings, 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 their reputation for meticulous production, capturing authentic sound with clarity, depth and fidelity that exceeds the audiophile standard.
For this release, Analogue Productions 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!
"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. I have heard some griping that the alternative 'Fran Dance' recorded during this session was omitted, but I agree with the decision to leave it out. Few if any legit albums offer alternative takes and this is a legit album, finally, sixty five or so years in the making!" - Michael Fremer, Tracking Angle, Music 10/10, Sound 10/10

Features:

• First Time Stand-Alone Release
• 180g Vinyl
• 100% All-Analog
• Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab Using Doug Sax's Custom All-Tube System & Cutting Lathe
• Mastered from a New 30 ips Quarter-Inch Stereo Master Tape Transferred from the Original 3-Track Session Tapes by Senior Mastering Engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios
• Plated & Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
• Stoughton Printing Old Style Tip-On Gatefold Heavyweight Jacket with Scuff-Resistant Matte Finish
• Extensive Liner Notes by Grammy®-Winning Author Ashley Kahn (Kind of Blue - The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece)
• Period-Appropriate Cover Artwork

Musicians:

• Miles Davis, trumpet
• Julian Adderley, alto saxophone
• John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
• Bill Evans, piano
• Paul Chambers, bass
• Jimmy Cobb, drums

Selections:

Side A
1. On Green Dolphin Street
2. Fran-Dance
Side B
1. Stella By Starlight
2. Love For Sale