Miles Davis
At Newport 1958

There must not have been that many people on July 3, 1958, a Thursday, at the Newport Jazz Festival, at least judging by the warmth of the audience. In fact, when the presenter, Willis Connover, introduces the group members one by one, the applause is always sparse and unenthusiastic. How is it possible? In 1958, even with countless masterpieces still in the drawer, Miles Davis had already released milestones like "Milestones" (indeed), "'Round About Midnight," and "Birth Of The Cool." But nonetheless, who knows how it really went that Thursday, July 3, in Newport, Rhode Island? We do know for sure that the concert was recorded, and the album that emerged showcases Miles' sextet, with the new entries Bill Evans and Jimmy Cobb, tackling great classics from his repertoire.

One, two, three, four and "Au-Leu-Cha", a first-class Parker piece already recorded by the first great quintet on "'Round About Midnight". All the group members express their bebop vein, as they will also do in other tracks, Monk’s "Straight, No Chaser" and Gillespie/Lewis' "Two Bass Hit" (both from "Milestones"). Yes, bebop dominates this album much more than cool jazz or modal jazz. Bebop, the root, the common denominator, the ultimate influence. No doubt, these six characters derive their way of playing from bebop, they eat bebop for breakfast, gobble bebop for lunch and dinner, these six characters know that their author is bebop. After all, Charlie Parker had only been dead for three years, and his shadow still covered the entire jazz world, as it would for a long time, as it will, to a gradually lesser extent, up to us.

Apart from this, there is also room for the lyricism and lightheartedness of "Fran-Dance", a little-known yet wonderful song. The same lyricism and lightheartedness are found in "Bye Bye Blackbird", a popular song readapted for "'Round About Midnight." A masterpiece on that album, still incredible on this one. And, to close, the famous "The Theme", a true signature piece of Miles in those years.

It is said that Trane stole the show from everyone that day at Newport, even from the more applauded Cannonball. Listening to the record, I beg to differ: not that Coltrane isn’t simply stunning (he always is), but it is Jimmy Cobb who stands out above the others here. Cobb is a very underrated drummer, overshadowed by the skill and revolutionary spirit of Philly Joe Jones and Tony Williams, not to mention the drummers Davis played with in the '70s (Jack DeJohnette and Al Foster, to name a few). Although he does not possess Williams' exuberance or Jones' flair, Jimmy Cobb is an extraordinary drummer, and on “At Newport 1958” he shows us that he can bring the swing like no other (seriously, like no other) and that he can be more aggressive, more bebop when he wants to.

Of course, the whole group is charged, from the already mentioned Trane to the ever-precise Evans, from Cannonball with his bluesy lyricism to the inimitable simplicity of Paul Chambers, who unfortunately, due to the sometimes insufficient recording quality, is sometimes hard to hear, but if you lend an ear you are left amazed, astonished (as usual when it comes to Mr. P.C.), whether he’s accompanying or soloing ("Straight, No Chaser"). And then, there’s Miles, naturally, and how many words (always too few) have been spent on him! The Miles of 1958 is a Miles in full transition, from cool to modal jazz, allowing himself here a return to the purest bebop. With beautiful results.