The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece

by Eric Nisenson

Book Overview

From the moment it was recorded more than 40 years ago, Miles Davis's Kind of Blue' was hailed as a jazz classic and to this day it remains the bestselling jazz album of all time. 'The Making of Kind of Blue' is an exhaustively researched examination of how this masterpiece was born. Through extensive interviews and access to rare recordings, Eric Nisenson has pieced together the whole story of this miraculous session, laying bare the genius of Miles...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312266170
• ISBN13: 9780312266172
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Kind of Blue

This is a very thorough description on the making of one of the best Jazz albums of all time. The author does repeat himself a lot of the time and the book could have been shorter without losing any of the detail. I am really new to jazz but this album was so special after playing it only 2 or 3 times that I wanted to know how it came about. I would have liked more information on the Lydian system and examples of where it was used on the recodings. There are some wonderful stories on each of the band members and the lead up to the album. Nisenson does a great job and leaves you wanting more info on the lives of the players.

And Very Nice Too.

Miles Davis remains a legend. Few musicians are revered as much as he was both in life and death. Kind Of Blue, without a shadow of a doubt, towers over every jazz album ever released. Eric Nisenson's account of the Making of Kind Of Blue is gripping. The legend of Miles Davis continues in this book and we are made aware of how exactly an album as grand as this came about. Eric Nisenson takes us through every sinew from a neutral standpoint. Even though he remains an ardent fan of the man this does not stop him from giving an impartial view on the man. The Making of Kind Of Blue is an exciting read and I would encourage any one who has the opportunity to read it to do exactly that.