Miles Davis All Star Sextet Explained

Miles Davis All Star Sextet
Type:studio
Artist:Miles Davis
Cover:MilesSextet.jpg
Released:1954
Recorded:April 29, 1954
Studio:Van Gelder (Hackensack)
Genre:Jazz
Length:21:38
Label:Prestige
Producer:Bob Weinstock
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Prev Year:1954
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Miles Davis All Star Sextet (PRLP 182) is a 10 inch LP album by Miles Davis, released in 1954 by Prestige Records.[1] [2] [3] The two side-long tracks were recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, April 29, 1954.[4]

Davis claimed in his autobiography that the release of this material turned his "whole life and career around", along with Capitol Records' release around the same time of the Birth of the Cool tracks in LP form, which made the critics notice him once again. Davis goes on to describe the goal of this recording: to return to "the fire and improvisation of bebop", but combined with a more forward looking funky kind of blues. Davis says the concepts were worked out in Horace Silver's room at the Arlington Hotel. J.J. Johnson and Lucky Thompson provided a big horn sound, on top of Silver's funky piano and Clarke’s "bad rhythms" behind on the drums. When the recording was complete, all involved, including Bob Weinstock and Van Gelder, knew they had achieved something good.[5]

After the 10" LP format was discontinued, both tracks were included on Side 1 of the 12" album Walkin' (PRLP 7076).

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. http://www.jazzdisco.org/prestige-records/catalog-100-200-series/#prlp-182 Miles Davis All-Star Sextet
  2. http://www.plosin.com/MilesAhead/Disco.aspx?id=Sextet Miles Davis All-Star Sextet
  3. http://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Sextet-Miles-Davis-All-Star-Sextet/release/3845422 Miles Davis All-Star Sextet
  4. http://www.plosin.com/MilesAhead/Sessions.aspx?s=540429 April 29, 1954 Session Details
  5. "Miles: the Autobiography", Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe, 1989, pg.177