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Miles Davis Quintet Workin' Release Date: 1959 Running Time: 40:57 Label: Prestige Workin' is the third in a series of four featuring the classic Miles Davis Quintet: Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Red Garland (piano), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Like its predecessors Cookin' and Relaxin', Workin' is the product of not one -- as mythology would claim -- but two massively productive recording sessions in May and October of 1956, respectively. Contradicting the standard methodology of preparing fresh material for upcoming albums, Davis and company used their far more intimate knowledge of the tunes the quintet was performing live to inform their studio recordings. As was often the case with Davis, the antithesis of the norm is the rule. Armed with some staggering original compositions, pop standards, show tunes, and the occasional jazz cover, Workin' is the quintessence of group participation. Davis, as well as Coltrane, actually contributes compositions as well as mesmerizing performances to the album. The band's interaction on "Four" extends the assertion that suggests this quintet plays with the consistency of a single, albeit ten-armed, musician. One needs listen no further than the stream of solos from Davis, Coltrane, Garland, and Jones, with Paul Chambers chasing along with his rhythmic metronome. Beneath the smouldering bop of "Trane's Blues" are some challenging chord progressions that are tossed from musician to musician with deceptive ease. Chambers' solo stands as one of his defining contributions to this band. In sly acknowledgement to the live shows from which these studio recording sessions were inspired, Davis concludes both sets (read: album sides) with "The Theme" -- a brief and mostly improvised tune -- indicating to patrons that the tab must be settled. In this case, settling the tab might include checking out Steamin', the final Miles Davis Quintet recording to have been culled from these historic sessions. Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide Tracks: Title Composer Time 1 It Never Entered My Mind Rodgers, Hart 5:26 2 Four Davis 7:15 3 In Your Own Sweet Way Brubeck 5:45 4 Theme [Take 1] Davis 2:01 5 Trane's Blues Coltrane 8:35 6 Ahmad's Blues Jamal 7:27 7 Half Nelson Davis 4:47 8 Theme [Take 2] Davis 1:04 Releases: Year Type Label 1959 Prestige 1994 CD Ace 1994 CD DCC 1994 CD DCC 1999 CD JVC 2005 CD JVC Japan 1998 CD JVC Victor 2002 CD JVC Victor 2004 CD JVC Victor 2006 CD JVC Victor 1999 CD JVC/XRCD 2007 CD Madacy/Prestige 1999 CD Prestige 2003 CD Prestige 2003 CD Prestige 2006 CD Prestige CD Prestige/OJC 1991 CD Prestige/OJC z CD RVG 2008 CD Universal Japan 2008 CD Universal Japan 1991 CS Prestige/OJC 1990 LP Fan/OJC LP Prestige 1956 LP Prestige 1991 LP Prestige/OJC 1995 LP Prestige/OJC

Member Of: Miles Davis Quintet More >> Similar Artists: John Coltrane Sonny Rollins Weather Report Horace Silver Art Blakey More >>

Influenced By: Dizzy Gillespie Charlie Parker Clark Terry Bix Beiderbecke Louis Armstrong More >> Followers: Date Course Pentagon Royal Garden Gerry Niewood As One Gil Scott-Heron Charlie Mariano More >>

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