Craft Recordings releases a seminal album re-mastered on audiophile vinyl.
Miles Davis – Miles Davis All Stars – Walkin’ – Prestige Records PRLP 7076 (1957)/Craft Recordings CR00853 Original Jazz Classics [4/18/2025] 180-gram vinyl, 37:43 *****:
(Miles Davis – trumpet; Jay Jay Johnson – trombone; Lucky Thompson – tenor saxophone; David Schildkraut – alto saxophone; Horace Silver – piano; Percy Heath – double bass; Kenny Clarke – drums)
The 1950’s were pivotal in the development of jazz. Artists moved away from the freneticism of bebop. Hard Bop and Cool jazz became staples with icons like Dave Brubeck, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Bill Evans, George Shearing, Dexter Gordon and Lester Young to name a few. It is widely agreed that Miles Davis was the most impactful catalyst for these emerging genres. Davis’ arrangements included paired instrumentation, unison and harmony. There was a more relaxed tempo and structure with various influences, including classical and Afro-American. Birth Of The Cool got the momentum started. Recorded years earlier, the album was not released until 1957. Another landmark session was Miles Davis All Stars – Walkin’, recorded in 1954, but released on the Prestige label in 1957. This compilation album featured both a sextet and quintet.
As part of the Original Jazz Classics series, Craft Recordings has re-mastered Walkin’ to 180-gram vinyl. Side A consists of two extended numbers. Like many bop-influenced albums, the arrangements are complex featuring many solos. The sextet includes Jay Jay Johnson (trombone), Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone), and the de-facto Prestige in-house rhythm section, Horace Silver (piano), Percy Heath (double bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). The title track has become a jazz standard. A 12-bar blues jam, the horns and reeds provide a muscular resonance.. Davis solos first (extended) with the signature “vibrato-less” notation. His phrasing and timing are compelling. Johnson is up next with his finger-snapping intonation and mellifluous soulful tonality. A prominent saxophone by Thompson creates additional texture, and Silver contributes a sinewy run with his funky accents. Davis heats up as the horn/reed chorus finishes in style. The sustained punctuation at the end is magnetic. Clarke kicks off Dizzy Gillespie’s hi-octane “Blue ’n’ Boogie”. Davis’ soloing is dynamic and precise. Johnson matches the energy and shows why his reputation as a bop instrumentalist is among the elite. Thompson also cuts loose, and the ensemble joins in counterpoint. Silver’s percolating solo is gritty and rhythmic.
Side B has a small personnel change as Davey Schildkraut joins the classic quartet. The musical direction also moves away from blues. “Solar” adopts a medium-swing tempo as Davis switches to muted trumpet (and stays with it for all three cuts). This contributes to the breezy, warm resonance that permeates the song. (Note; Bill Evans covered this number on the Sunday At The Village Vanguard). Alto Saxophonist Schildkraut offers a nimble lyrical solo before Silver returns to swing. Davis returns and maintains the swing aesthetics. “You Don’t Know What Love Is” is another popular song that has became identified with jazz, once it was covered by Miles. The rhythm section establishes a late-night vibe. Davis distills the melancholy with his gossamer licks and achingly beautiful notation. Silver adds cinematic shade. A certain highlight is the accelerated tempo arrangement of the classic torch song, “Love Me Or Leave Me”. Davis solos and has palpable chemistry with his band mates. Schildkraut’s up tempo style is a great fit. Clarke has a series of memorable drum breaks.
This is an excellent addition to Craft Recordings Original Jazz Classics series. The integrity of Rudy Van Gelder’s home studio master tapes is maintained (Kevin Gray/Cohearant Audio) and the 180-gram vinyl is pristine. This is a must for any jazz collection!
Highest recommendation!
—Robbie Gerson
Miles Davis – Miles Davis All Stars – Walkin’
TrackList:
Side A: Walkin’; Blue ’n’ Boogie
Side B: Solar; You Don’t Know What Love Is; Love Me Or Leave Me.
