Cannonball Adderley – Somethin’ Else LP

Description

Cannonball Adderleygave up his own band in 1957 when he had the opportunity to become a sideman inMiles Davis‘ epic ensemble withJohn Coltrane, eventually resulting in some of the greatest jazz recordings of all time (includingMilestonesandKind of Blue).Davisreturned the favor in March of 1958, appearing as a sideman onAdderley‘s all-star quintet date for Blue Note, and the resulting session is indeedSomethin’ Else. Both horn players are at their peak of lyrical invention, crafting gorgeous, flowing blues lines on the title tune and “One for Daddy-O,” as the rhythm team (Hank Jones,Sam Jones,Art Blakey) creates a taut, focused groove (pianistHank Jones‘ sly, intuitive orchestrations are studies of harmonic understatement).Adderley‘s lush, romantic improvisation on “Dancing in the Dark” is worthy ofCharlie ParkerorJohnny Hodges, while the band refurbishes “Autumn Leaves” and “Love for Sale” into clich-free swingers. And “Alison’s Uncle” puts a boppish coda onSomethin’ Else, one of the most gloriously laid-back blowing sessions of the hard bop era. -All Music Guide