at a glance...

Hometown: East St. Louis, MO
First Recordings: 1945

Sidemen:
John Coltrane -tenor saxophone
Red Garland -piano
Paul Chambers -bass
Philly Joe Jones -drums

Notes:
Davis was an important part of the bebop renaissance of the mid-1940s, playing with Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Parker. His lyrical and sparse trumpet style was a contrast to that of bop pioneer Dizzy Gillespie. In the ensuing 25 years, Davis almost single-handedly influenced the course of jazz music. His innovations paved the way for stylish cool jazz (1949), funky hard bop (1954), huge orchestral works, (1957), modal jazz (1958), adventurous abstract post-pop (1963), and fusion (1969). Above all, Davis' legacy is characterized by a constant craving for innovation, creativity, and progress. Never content to stick with established styles, Davis pushed jazz forward like only few others. Besides this, he was an extraordinary improviser and marvelous composer.

Links:
Miles Davis Discography
also has lots of links and other useful info

The original Miles Davis Quintet created some of the genre's most appealing music during a series of recordings for Prestige in 1955 and 1956. While the group didn't revolutionize jazz (as so many others of Davis' groups did), it was a tight, joyous, and talented working group filled with current and future jazz stars. John Coltrane, at this point, was merely hinting at the obsession that was to follow, but he was a marvel on tenor even before his vision was fully formed. Soon after this recording, Coltrane would be booted by Miles because of heroin addiction. (He would kick the habit, have a religious awakening in the process, rejoin the scene with Monk's band, and eventually return to Miles, all by early 1958.) Pianist Red Garland offered tasty, relaxed piano that combined single-note flurries, block-chord comping, and an informal ease.

The delightful Relaxin' provides a snapshot of one of jazz's strongest lineups in action, establishing a mellow and easy-going mood with plenty of impressive improvisation. They interpret four ballads (at differing tempos) along with two jazz classics: Sonny Rollins' "Oleo" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody 'N You." Davis plays muted trumpet on all but "Woody." On the mid-tempo "If I Were a Bell" and "It Could Happen to You," Davis is exuberant, singing throughout. He displays his warm tone and spare, lyrical style on "You're My Everything," which shows his ability to make silence work on his behalf. The tempo picks up for Coltrane's entrance, and Trane follows Miles' lead perfectly. The tempo again slows to welcome Davis back, and Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones add subtle accents. On "Oleo," only Chambers' deft bass plays behind Davis' two choruses and Coltrane's first. Garland feeds devilishly clever chords behind the two soloists and adds his own nifty solo. A perfect album with which to start a jazz collection.

If you like Miles Davis, check out:
Miles Davis The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions
Dave Douglas Soul On Soul
John Coltrane Settin' the Pace
Cannonball Adderley Somethin' Else
Miles Davis E.S.P.
Miles Davis Steamin'
Miles Davis Get Up With It

-- Marc Greilsamer