Kind of Blue Review: The Best-Selling Jazz Record of All Time
10/10 — Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)
Pros
- Timeless, cool atmosphere
- Brilliant solos
- Accessible for newcomers
Cons
- Understated
Recorded in two sessions in 1959 with a group that included John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Bill Evans, Kind of Blue uses modal scales to give the soloists room. It’s the best-selling jazz album ever.
What works
‘So What’ and ‘Blue in Green’ are timeless, and the playing is spontaneous and relaxed. Evans’s piano adds a gentle lyricism, and Davis’s muted trumpet is unforgettable.
Where it falters
It’s a quiet, understated record, so it’s less showy than some jazz fans might expect.
Verdict
Beautiful, essential and the perfect entry point into jazz.
