Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley

   One of greatest saxophonists in 50’s and 60’s, Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley (1928-1975) was in the very narrow group of artists creating modern jazz improvising methods, taking part in extraordinary ensembles and recordings inspiring other artists. Although he was one of most creative musicians, in opinions of many he remained in a second row of avant-garde – known and remembered mostly as a contributor and collaborator in genius of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. This unjust rating comes probably from the fact, the first period of ‘Cannonball’ musical development was in Florida, far from biggest centers and mainstream media. Julian and his brother Nat were living in Tallahassee, where they were playing with Ray Charles in early 40’s. Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley was very popular in Florida – not only by nickname, which originally was “cannibal” for his unbridled appetite – but this fame has no impact in New York.
   The time Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley came to Big Apple, ten years after the end of the war New York was the scene of dynamic cultural changes. Also in jazz, be-bop was evolved to cool and hard bop, and later into free jazz in different variants. While others were establishing new directions and styles, the same time many musicians were still developing traditional swinging style with subtle new harmonic and rhythmic improvements. And as these styles were continuation of be-bop, the stream was created mainly by musicians who were known for their earlier cooperation with Parker and Gillespie – with the stress on the word “known”. The musical scene was pretty crowded and that’s the only reason quintets led by Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley never achieved the success they deserved.

Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley

   In series of Everest Records Archive of Folk and Jazz Music, aiming to publish authentic performances from 78 r.p.m. discs, there was one compilation album of Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley. It’s generally poor edited, giving some misinforming notes about whole series, even artist’s name is misspelled in the title and on the ridge of the sleeve. In linear notes it has the correct form. The program of the album is compilation of two late 50’s recordings. Four pieces out of five came from 1959 album Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago. Opening piece Wabash is taken from February 1959 session with John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Complete album was released by Mercury as Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago. Next is perfectly different The Tune of the Hickory Stick – the last piece on Jump for Joy album released by EmArcy in 1958. Closing the A-side You’re a Weaver of Dreams and two pieces of B-side (Stars Fell on Alabama and The Sleeper) are taken again from album of Cannonball Adderley Quintet recordings of 1959.
   The one exceptional recording in this choice is The Tune of the Hickory Stick, recorded in August 1958 with Emmett Berry on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Milt Hinton on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Ambitious arrangement for strings, guitar and jazz quintet by Bill Russo is a kind of link between cool jazz experiments and popular jazz traditions. While this composition is a kind of refreshing moment, other four pieces are classic presentations of hard bop style. Perfect solos by leader, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers can be seen as a clear expression of modern jazz ideas. Two pieces are recorded in quartet with solo saxophone: in Stars Fell on Alabama Adderley and in You’re a Weaver of Dreams Coltrane only. Closing this record John Coltrane’s The Sleeper is a symbolic point of these two artists were together, later every one was continuing his own voyage. The music deserves five stars but considering poor level of edition the record is two and half star only. 

John Coltrane – Bahia

   In 1965 John Coltrane was at the top of his career. During the period of early 60’s, his recordings were modern enough to impress critics and creative to influence musicians, while still enough clear to be interesting for wide group of listeners and record buyers. This moment was the time John Coltrane was parted from Prestige and recording for rival companies. And the record company has been published Coltrane’s unissued recordings from late 50’s, when he was playing with Miles Davis Quintet and recording lots of material in various lineups. It was easy money for the company, and those times producers didn’t even bother to ask artist for his acceptance. One of such editions is Bahia published in May 1965 by Prestige and republished in 1989 after remastering by Phil de Lancie in Fantasy Studios, Berkeley. Recordings were made during two sessions in Van Gelder Studio, Hackensak, NJ in 1958, July 11th and December 26th. It is not complete set of material recorded during these sessions and for the Bahia album producers had choose only parts sharing the same idea and stable lineup.
   Recordings included in Bahia disc are firmly connected to the style of Miles Davis Quintet. During the two 1958 Bahia sessions John Coltrane played with two other musicians from Davis’ group – pianist Red Garland and bassist Paul Chambers and this is what makes this lineup the three fifths of the quintet. This connection is enough clear considering the impact of Davis’ quintet on jazz scene in 50’s. And in this album this influence is articulated both in plain references and in attempts to overcome the cool idiom. Davis influences are present also in the style of trumpet player Wilbur Hardin. And drummers Art Taylor and Jimmy Cobb playing different sessions were following Philly Joe Jones of Davis’ legendary first Quintet.

John Coltrane – Bahia (1965)

   Musicians were aiming to build more expressive, stronger and explicit style, what can be observe in Bahia which has been chosen for framing the style of the whole 1965 album. And the title piece has been improvised like it was an attempt of exceeding the style barriers of cool jazz style. It can be heard in all nervously interacted solos by Coltrane, Garland and Chambers, who played the bow with high tension and melodic invention. Even the way Coltrane played the Bahia theme has the new expression outline. This attitude is even more openly demonstrated in Goldsboro Express where exploration reaches the moment of freely dialoguing between Coltrane and Art Taylor. In such context these recordings can be seen as alternative version of quartet and quintet with leading tenor saxophone. This particular moment Coltrane was looking for new structures of musical improvisation, trying to free his expression means of the song structure. In effect he worked out on scalar and modal techniques aiming to create the wider scope of new jazz style.
   Although John Coltrane was forerunner, he was not alone, all musicians playing Prestige sessions were moving the same path. Coltrane was the kind of strong personality and sometimes he was just the one doing larger steps. He was always aware of the overriding meaning of artistic work. As he said in an interview for Down Beat in 1962, “the main thing a musician would like to do is to give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows of and senses in the universe”. His sense of the universe has a kind of religious fervor, the perfect virtuoso technique and the revolutionary theoretical solutions. His fierce solos in Bahia and Goldsboro Express are the chance to look inside his style at the moment of its creation. The counterweight for this eruption of ideas are lyrical solos with rich sound and ballade structure My Ideal and Something I Dreamed Last Night. These promising moments pointed the path to his future creations.

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue

★★★★★

Looking for the one record which is substantial to music history of last century, for the recording of best quality of music and perfect in performing, creative and enough modern to affect next generations but still clear and readable to almost every listener, the only choice should be Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. This album belongs to the group of rare events giving modern jazz the position of artistic music. And it is strained with creative intensity, exactly the same way the most important works in human history always been. No wonder this record occupies highest position in every ranking, receiving complete collection of stars and hundred percent grades in any serious critical set. With more than four million copies sold, what means quadruple platinum, this is best selling album in Miles Davis discography and in history of the jazz. Many listeners believe it was also the first jazz recording exceeding limitations of harmonic progressions and initiated era of modality opening the way to free jazz and avant-garde of the sixties and beyond. And in fact they are almost right, it was not very first modal jazz recording because it really opened a new chapter in history of jazz.

Recorded in New York 30th Street Studio during two sessions March 2, and April 22, 1959, and released August 17, the same year, Kind of Blue was based on best musicians marking new directions in modern music. Despite revolutionary content of this album, the group was continuation of experiences with sextet Miles Davis recorded many times during previous years. Basic lineup was the same as recorded one year earlier 1958 Miles album. Front line of the group formed by leader Miles Davis with two saxophonists Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and John Coltrane has its counterpoise in rhythm section of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums and merging these positions piano played by Bill Evans. During April 2nd session the lineup of Davis’ sextet was playing with two changes. In Freddie Freeloader Bill Evans was replaced by pianist Wynton Kelly and Blue in Green was recorded by quintet without Adderley.

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (1959)

This album was different from the very beginning. Many Davis’ albums are monumental in idea or in realization. The end of fifties and beginning of sixties was the time for great constructions he made with orchestral arrangements by Gil Evans. Many of groundbreaking records were billed as a culmination of many years’ developments. In Kind of Blue modest title shows prudence and distance to theoretical matters of new music. Just like he was not sure of the new artistic and theoretical ideas joining Slonimsky’s Thesaurus of Scales, Russell’s Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization and new possibilities of modal improvisation opened in John Coltrane’s and Miles Davis’ recordings in late fifties.
Although Kind of Blue was not the first modal recording, this is premiere program entirely founded on the idea of creating improvisation on the scale basis and developing improvisation from the scale inner tensions. Such approach was not quite new. It was presented in many folk cultures, in blues and in early jazz but it was never so much complex or consequent. Modal jazz was also the best way of leaving major-minor harmonic systems. On Kind of Blue modal scales occurred in rich and varied contexts, some were consisted on cycle of two or more modes – So What was based on two modes, Flamenco Sketches on five scales; some are standard 12-bar blues played in expanded modes (Freddie Freeloader) or even in 6/8 time (All Blues). Every improvisation was built on its own logic. Julian Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane and Miles Davis are improvising in wide opening space of new possibilities. And this was in fact the best feature of this record. Freedom musicians gain with this new idea was liberating and inspiring giving jazz whole spectrum of new energies.