Workin With the Miles Davis Quintet

by Miles Davis, Miles Davis Quintet

Overview

Workin' is the third in a series of four featuring the classic Miles Davis Quintet: Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Red Garland (piano), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Like its predecessors Cookin' and Relaxin', Workin' is the product of not one -- as mythology would claim -- but two massively productive recording sessions in May and October of 1956, respectively. Contradicting the standard methodology of preparing fresh material for upcoming albums, Davis and company used their far more intimate knowledge of the tunes the quintet was performing live to inform their studio recordings. As was often the case with Davis, the antithesis of the norm is the rule. Armed with some staggering original compositions, pop standards, show tunes, and the occasional jazz cover, Workin' is the quintessence of group participation. Davis, as well as Coltrane, actually contributes compositions as well as mesmerizing performances to the album. The band's interaction on "Four" extends the assertion that suggests this quintet plays with the consistency of a single, albeit ten-armed, musician. One needs listen no further than the stream of solos from Davis, Coltrane, Garland, and Jones, with Paul Chambers chasing along with his rhythmic metronome. Beneath the smoldering bop of "Trane's Blues" are some challenging chord progressions that are tossed from musician to musician with deceptive ease. Chambers' solo stands as one of his defining contributions to this band. In sly acknowledgment to the live shows from which these studio recording sessions were inspired, Davis concludes both sets (read: album sides) with "The Theme" -- a brief and mostly improvised tune -- indicating to patrons that the tab must be settled. In this case, settling the tab might include checking out Steamin', the final Miles Davis Quintet recording to have been culled from these historic sessions. ~ Lindsay Planer

Product Details

Release Date:	01/01/1995
Label:	Original Jazz Classics / Ojc
UPC:	0025218029612

Tracks

1. It Never Entered My Mind
2. Four
3. In Your Own Sweet Way
4. The Theme
5. Trane's Blues
6. Ahmad's Blues
7. Half Nelson
8. The Theme

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Miles Davis Quintet   Primary Artist
Miles Davis   Primary Artist,Trumpet
Sonny Rollins   Sax (Tenor)
Kenny Clarke   Drums
John Coltrane   Sax (Tenor)
Horace Silver   Piano
Milt Jackson   Vibraphone
Thelonious Monk   Piano
Paul Chambers   Bass
Philly Joe Jones   Drums
Red Garland   Piano
Oscar Pettiford   Bass

Technical Credits

Steve Hoffman   Mastering
Bob Weinstock   Producer,Supervisor
Chris Clough   Project Assistant
Ahmad Jamal   Composer
Frank Paparelli   Composer
John Coltrane   Composer
Esmond Edwards   Cover Photo,Photography
Lorenz Hart   Composer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer,Remastering
Nick Phillips   Reissue Producer
Miles Davis   Composer
Stuart Kremsky   Reissue Production Assistance
Akira Taguchi   Supervisor
Kenny Dorham   Composer
Joe Goldberg   Liner Notes
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Art Blakey   Composer
Dave Brubeck   Composer
Alan Yoshida   Mastering
Terri Hinte   Project Assistant
Shigeo Miyamoto   Mastering
Jack Maher   Liner Notes
Rikka Arnold   Project Assistant
Del Costello   Executive Producer
Tamaki Beck   Supervisor