Workin' with Miles Davis Quintet＜限定盤/180g重量盤＞

ジャズ史上最高のスモール・バンドのひとつであるマイルス・デイヴィスのクインテットは、1950年代半ばにマンハッタンのバロウ・ストリートにあるカフェ・ボヘミアとニュージャージー州のルディ・ヴァン・ゲルダーが運営するPrestigeのスタジオで歴史を刻んだ。本作は、ボヘミアでのセットを模して行われた2回のマラソン・スタジオ・セッションで録音された4枚のLPシリーズの第3弾で、高いエネルギーと即応性を持つ音楽を生み出している。
『クッキン』(OJCCD-128-2)、『リラクシン』(OJCCD-190-2)に続き、スタンダードとオリジナル、アップテンポとバラード、そしてトリオ・ナンバーである "Ahmad's Blues" がミックスされた本作『ワーキン』。

新進気鋭のジョン・コルトレーンの興奮、レッド・ガーランドの情報に基づくメロディアスなスイング、ガーランド、ポール・チェンバース、フィリー・ジョー・ジョーンズのリズムトリオの凄まじいスナップとポップ、マイルスの痛快さと激しいスイングなど、50年代半ばにこのクインテットが作った音楽は永遠に生き続けるだろう。

〈パーソネル〉Miles Davis(tp) John Coltrane(tp) Red Garland(p) Paul Chambers(b, cello) Philly Joe Jones(ds)

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 smoldering 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 acknowledgment 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