Miles Davis Bags Groove CD

The title track of Bags Groove comes from December 24, 1954, the classic date that matched together trumpeter Miles Davis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Thelonious Monk, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke. Davis and Monk actually did not get along all that well and the trumpeter did not want Monk playing behind his solos, but a great deal of brilliant music occurred on the day of their encounter. There are two very different versions apiece of Bags' Groove, and Monk's solo on the first take was one of his best. The rest of the album is taken from a session the previous June that included Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver doing Rollins' own Airegin as well as Oleo and But Not for Me. Timeless music that defies easy classification, this set belongs in every jazz collection. 7 tracks. From the OJC/ Prestige label.

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on June 29 and December 24, 1954. Originally released on Prestige (7109). Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.
Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Thelonious Monk (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Kenny Clarke (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder.
Liner Note Authors: Ira Gitler; Shohji Ichikawa; Rudy Van Gelder.
Recording information: Hackensack, NJ (06/29/1954/12/24/1954); New Jersey (06/29/1954/12/24/1954); Van Gelder Studios, Hackensack, NJ (06/29/1954/12/24/1954).
There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session -- featuring Thelonious Monk -- which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed. This combo became synonymous with the ability to tastefully improvise and provide bluesy bop lines in varied settings. The up-tempo and Latin-infused syncopation featured during the opening of "Airegin" flows into lines and minor-chord phrasings that would reappear several years later throughout Davis' Sketches of Spain epic. The fun and slightly maniacally toned "Oleo" features one of Heath's most impressive displays on Bags' Groove. His staccato accompaniment exhibits the effortless nature with which these jazz giants are able to incorporate round after round of solos onto the larger unit. Bags' Groove belongs as a cornerstone of all jazz collections. Likewise, the neophyte as well as the seasoned jazz enthusiast will find much to discover and rediscover throughout the disc. The remastered CD includes both historic takes of "Bags' Groove" as well as one additional rendering of the pop standard "But Not for Me." ~ Lindsay Planer
BAGS' GROOVE is drawn mostly from a June 29, 1954 session reuniting Miles with his "Walkin'" rhythm team and old cohort Sonny Rollins. In addition to two fine takes of Gershwin's "But Not For Me," Rollins italicizes his commanding return with three originals which became instant jazz classics. To fill things out, there are two takes of Milt Jackson's epic blues line "Bags' Groove," drawn from the legendary December 24, 1954 session.
The common denominator to both sessions is the remarkably swinging rhythm team of drummer Kenny Clarke and bassist Percy Heath, who provide shimmering, understated locomotion without ever getting in the way--aided and abet