Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: I am not a jazz musician (just an ardent fan) and I am thoroughly enjoying this book. You truly feel as if you are present in the sessions. Highly recommended.Erin
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Subject, a Deficient Book
Review: I hate to be a nay-sayer when so many other critics have nothing but unqualified praise for this book. And, by and large, it's an interesting read with much fascinating information. As a compilation of facts, it offers an exciting look behind the scenes at the creation of a milestone (no pun intended) of jazz.
However, to a serious musician and record collector, the book has deficiencies that cannot be overlooked.
First of all, the book is far too adulatory. It is far better than the completely worshipful and therefore useless Eric Nisenson book on the same subject, but that's not saying much. When I buy a book I want a book, not an extended press release. There's just too much that reads like it came from the pen of a PR man rather than a journalist.
In fact, Kahn's excuses for the ineptitude of Columbia Records leave the impression, incorrect I'm sure, that he's on their payroll. More of this below.
First, I suspect that Kahn is not himself an experienced musician. When he tries to write about the music itself he makes numerous mistakes. I'll cite just one.
On page 70 is a picture of the chart Cannonball Adderley used for "Flamenco Sketches," with a caption by the author that refers to the scales used in the tune as "C Ionian, A-Flat Mixolydian, B-flat Major 7th, D Phrygian, and G Aeolian." The chart, however, is transposed for Eb alto saxophone, so the picture doesn't match the description. It would have been helpful if the caption had mentioned this.
Worse, however, is the apparent lack of understanding of music in the caption itself. "C Ionian" is the same as C Major. If the author knew this, he might have clarified what surely must sound like pure technical jargon to non-musical readers, most of whom have heard of C Major but may have no clue to what an "Ionian" is.
"B-flat Major 7th" is a chord, not a scale. The scale is B-flat Major, period. Or, if we're going to be technical again, B-flat Ionian.
It may well be that musicians occasionally refer to the scale described as "D Phrygian" by that name. But they would be wrong. The correct name of the scale in question is the "fifth mode of the G harmonic minor scale," which begins on D. It's a mouthful, to be sure. But it just ain't D Phrygian, which contains one note that is crucially different.
"A-flat Mixolydian" and "G Aeolian" are accurate, although the latter can also be more simply described as a G natural minor scale. But why quibble with people who like to toss around two-dollar terms for one-dollar goods?
It's Kahn's excuses for Columbia records that really annoy me.
On "Kind of Blue" Columbia mixed up the tracks, which resulted in 50,000 copies of the record being produced with incorrect labeling. I had one of those original discs, and the best I can say is that it was fun figuring out the mistake and then relabeling my own record.
Astonishingly, the master tape machine for "Kind of Blue" ran slow, so pressings ran faster than the original recording and sounded sharp. This caused no end of puzzlement and annoyance to musicians who tried to play along with and learn from the album. Luckily, Columbia had a safety tape that ran at the correct speed, which has been used for subsequent reissues.
Kahn mentions the above gaffs with the very slightest of "tsk"s, nowhere near the condemnation they deserve. But even more incredibly, he has nothing but praise for the sound of "Kind of Blue," which is probably the worst sounding groundbreaking record I've ever heard.
Columbia has a reputation among music listeners with real ears as producer of (and I repeat) the worst sounding recordings of all the big record companies. They don't begin to reach the hem of the outstanding recordings of Decca (London), EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and the absolute stars of early stereo recording, RCA Victor and Mercury, and numerous small companies such as Chesky. There isn't room to go into the details here, but if you have a good sound system and appreciate the value of realistic acoustics and accurate soundstaging across the width of the speaker field, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Sometimes a good record slips through, but "Kind of Blue" isn't one of them. Columbia has always been into multi-miking and "cleaning up" (i.e., "doctoring") in the editing. Their recordings typically sound canned, and it's regrettable that so many fine artists, including Leonard Bernstein and Miles Davis, allowed their immortal performances to be preserved in, shall we say, less than state-of-the-art sound.
"Kind of Blue" is all but ruined by multi-miking, added echo, no concern for the dynamic range and true timbre of real musical instruments, and the complete lack of a believable three-dimensional space holding live musicians. There are any number of superb recordings out there that blow "Kind of Blue" away.
The greatness of "Kind of Blue" lies not in its sound but in its harmonic experimentation and the inspired performances of its musicians, and in the almost spontaneous way in which the tunes were created and realized. Miles Davis himself said in an interview that he wished for a time when recordings preserved everything, including the mistakes. Listening to "Kind of Blue" makes one wish that Miles had meant it, and that we had the sounds of breathing, the sweat, the uncertainty, the little glitches, the beauty marks, and the natural acoustics of the room -- the human presence that sets the sublime so far above the merely great.
Kahn says nary a word about all this. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he has no ears, but his book reads as if he didn't use them.
Rating:
Summary: KIND OF BLUE's book-length new liner notes?
Review: I was curious to see how an entire book could be made focusing on the classic Miles Davis album KIND OF BLUE, considering that several previous Davis biographies seemed to comprehensively cover it in a few pages (e.g., the Chambers and Carr bios). After reading this book, I would say that the author passed the test. His access to the studio tapes (with between-takes dialogue extensively quoted), interviews with surviving witnesses/sidemen, and quotes from other sources by the deceased participants, come as close to taking the reader into the studio as possible. Furthermore, Kahn thoroughly examines the album from a number of different angles generally not of concern to most Davis biographers. There is insight into the promotional efforts in selling the album, and the marketing of Miles Davis in general (typically with little cooperation from Miles himself). Additionally, Kahn looks at the album in the context of other major jazz events of that year (John Coltrane's GIANT STEPS, Ornette Coleman's arival on the scene, etc.). Furthermore, he examines its influence in and out of the jazz world, and its reissue history (oddly, Columbia records didn't seem to fully grasp until recently just how popular this album had become). Also of note is that the first 90 pages of the book set the stage for KIND OF BLUE by examining the first stages of Davis' musical journey, particularly those areas most pertinent to understanding the making of this landmark album. To the potential reader who may have heard KIND OF BLUE and wants more information about Miles Davis: your best options are either to buy this book (but keep in mind that of course there is little coverage of the last three decades of Davis' life and music), or pick up Ian Carr's bio if you want the best-yet account of Miles' entire career. Actually, the best choice may be to opt for BOTH books.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: If you are as obsessed with "Kind of Blue" as I am, this is an indispensible book. It provides a great blow-by-blow description of the recording sessions themselves, as well as an entertaining account of the relationships between Miles, Coltrane, Adderly, Cobb, et al...these titans that created THE enduring masterpiece of American music. It discusses how Bill Evans was robbed of writing credit for his obvious contributions to "Flamenco Sketches" and especially "Blue in Green" (one of the main reasons they never worked together again). Of how Miles didn't have the courtesy of letting Wynton Kelly know in advance of his limited role in the session (he showed up and Evans was sitting at the piano). Miles comes across as a somewhat arrogant genius, which is probably fairly close to reality. After reading this book, you'll be blown away by the album all the more, especially if you have enough music theory knowledge to appreciate how truly innovative modal jazz was at the time.
Rating:
Summary: buy this book
Review: Inherent in any writing (literary) about music (auditory) is the irony of using words to evoke sound. Too frequently writers' efforts to describe, explain, or otherwise translate towering musical moments in words end up on my weekly recycle pile. Not so the case with this excellent, primary-sourced recreation of the American political era, the stage of New York City cultural development, the degree of arc in Miles Davis's idiosyncratic career, and, always keeping its focus, the precise moments of creation reflected in the intuitive improvisatory sound of a timeless jazz classic. In addition to interviews with KOB session drummer Jimmy Cobb, the only surviving member of Davis's recording group, Kahn mounts a millennial archaeological dig into the actual analog tapes, reproduction of pianist/composer Bill Evans's hand-written LP-era liner notes, production and marketing notes, and rarely if ever before seen pictures by the original session photographer. Kahn's prose couples a keen historical ear with a fanatic's enthusiasm. Rather than just another factual rehash in the acrid tone of much jazz writing, the books sketches impressions of what it must have been like to participate in this culminating cultural recording event. The author does an excellent job of contextualizing art and jazz developments of the time, in NYC in general but, in particular, the intersection of Miles with innovators such as George Russell, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, and Paul Chambers. For deeper jazz fans, there are nuggets about the previous edition of Miles's working band (with Philly Joe Jones and Red Garland), KOB's enduring influence and Miles's style of leadership, social and musical. This volume is a must have for any fan of Kind of Blue -- it will enhance the veteran's as well as laymanÕs appreciation of the music, the man, and the moment. The book may also be staking new territory, providing thoughtful insights into Columbia Records' A&R, marketing, and production process of the time. Kahn elicits testimony from in-house biz legends including KOB producer Teo Macero. This suggests fertile ground for delving into the history of Columbia, a major musical touchstone of the 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: Oh Yeah!
Review: It is impossible to say anything even approaching "So What" about Ashley Kahn's competent and enthusiastic history of the Kind of Blue recording sessions. With few documents from the sessions still extant, we get a generous iconography, pertinent context about: bebop, Miles and the other band members, plus extensive notes on the business and recording of music in the jazz industry, at a time when it was still quite mysterious, even to most musicians. Bravo. A welcome time machine for any music bookshelf. You will only need to decide where to shelve it; is it best under history, business, musicology, jazz photography, next to the CD? One easy decision that you won't have to make: it will be the enjoyable and informative read of this season and probably many, many many others.
Rating:
Summary: Great Companion to the all-time classic
Review: Kind of Blue is my all-time favorite album and this book is a fantastic behind the scenes look at how the album came together. There's enough here for both the jazz novice as well as the Mile's fanatic. I read it straight through and now plan to re-read it more thoroughly while listening and savoring every beautiful note of this American classic.
Rating:
Summary: Succeeds where others in this genre have failed
Review: Many books on particular jazz musicians or eras, unfortunately wind up as dust-dry technical treatises of interest only to the most dediated musicians and fans. That, or they're little more than chronological listings of gig after gig, playlist after playlist. Snore. Fortunately, Ashley Kahn's wonderful book doesn't suffer from either of these faults. While the author details the making of this historical album and provides detailed notes on each of the legendary tracks, his touch is light, and the book is eminently readable. It's a real pleasure for anyone who loves the album and appreciates the artistry of Miles Davis and the group he assembled for this project. And if you're new to jazz or haven't experienced "Kind of Blue," this book represents a good place to get your feet wet. My only criticism (and it's a very minor one) is that Kahn could have spent just a little more space on describing the difference between Miles' modal style and the ways in which it was a break from what came before. But the book's pluses far outweigh this very small quibble. A suggestion: get out a copy of "Kind of Blue" and listen to each track before and after reading Kahn's descriptions of each one. It will enhance your enjoyment.
Rating:
Summary: Stop, Listen, Read . . . and listen anew
Review: Most writing about music -- and particularly jazz -- has always struck me about as useful as writing about the taste of an orange: If you've already tasted one, you can agree or disagree with the writer's assessment, sure; but if you haven't, then no amount of words, or skill with those words, will enlighten you one bit. Not until you taste the darn thing for yourself. Ashley Kahn, with this book, serves as a standout exception to the above statement. Working on the valid assumption that most of the book's readers are at least slightly familiar with Davis & Co.'s landmark recording, he presents a thoughtful and reasoned guide to the music scene of the era, the restlessness and frustration (mostly Davis') which led to "Kind of Blue's" conception, as well as both its immediate and long-range aftermath. And he avoids ponderousness. Thankfully, he also refuses to genuflect each time Davis' name is mentioned. But then, his treatment of each performer is likewise even-handed; insightful, appreciative without falling into the trap of reverence. Perhaps this is why,in Kahn's hands, the individual recording sessions take on an almost "you-are-there" immediacy; at the same time, however, Kahn wisely keeps our focus in its 40 year-plus perspective. We cannot get too close, after all. In retrospect, Kahn might have delved more deeply into the complexities of Davis' and Evans' relationship. There will always be the question, for me, of who exactly mentored whom at any given point. Evans had already departed the group but came back for this recording; subsequently, he and Davis would feud ever after over the authorship of "Blue In Green," and they would never work together again. Yet there seems to have been a symbiosis between them, a spark they lit within each other, which both men likely missed in the ensuing years. A minor criticism at best, that last paragraph, and perhaps Kahn is right to have avoided that exploration in this book. (Which is not to say that it couldn't be explored in another book . . .)
Rating: 
Summary: Only for avid fans
Review: No book can reflect even part of the beauty that is in the music of Kind Of Blue. The problem intensifies as the only living member of the musicians who made KOB is the drummer - Jimmy Cobb. The authors bring us all the details concerning the technical aspects involved in the project. We can read about the use of microphones, the positioning of the musicians and more. The book also describes some of the aspects of modality that were used in the music. There are exerpts from interesting interviews that shed more light on the whole context of the music. I love the music of KOB so I was interested in the process and anything involved. I could not imagine anyone who is not crazy about this music remotely enjoying the book.
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