Cannonball Adderley: Somethin’ Else

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Hank Jones (p)
Miles Davis (t)
Cannonball Adderley (as)
Sam Jones (b)
Art Blakey (d)

Label:

Groove Replica

July/2020

Media Format:

LP, CD

Catalogue Number:

77016

RecordDate:

March 1958

Another vinyl reissue of another classic. The trouble with Somethin’ Else, if indeed it's possible to find fault with a record so perfect in virtually every way, is that its ‘guest star’ has rather come to overshadow its nominal headliner.

Some critics have written this album up as a Miles session by any other name, and although he does indeed cast something of his characteristic magical aura over the proceedings, it's altogether unfair to overlook his bandmates. Adderley had never played better to date, mixing his bluesy candour with a lyricism as much felt on finger-poppers like ‘One For Daddy-O’ as on the elegant ‘Dancing in The Dark’; Hank Jones once again proved his stature as a man for all sessions and the bass and drums team of Jones and Blakey created the sort of quintessential Blue Note groove they would later reprise on a number of Grant Green sessions.

As for Davis, well, if one remembers that this set was taped between Milestones and the seminal Kind of Blue then it's obvious that he is in peak form here. He also steered a large part of the repertoire, yet another reason why this sometimes feels as if it's his session.

A beauty of a record, with Groove Replica including a ‘bonus’ CD version inside its LP sleeve.

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