Concert Review: Kind of Blue 50th Anniversary Tour

REVIEW BY ELGIN SMITH

There are few things to say about Miles Davis’ 1959 album Kind of Blue that haven’t been said already. Phrases like “historically significant,” “most influential,” and “jazz masterpiece” seem to show up no matter where you look. While endorsements like these certainly don’t come easily, they really do seem applicable when considering the quality of the album’s music and the superior musicians that recorded it.

Unfortunately, the members of the sextet that recorded the album have not been as timeless as the music they produced. John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Miles Davis — all have died since the album’s release. The only direct living link to Kind of Blue is drummer Jimmy Cobb.

Currently touring as Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band, his current gig is the Kind of Blue 50th Anniversary Tour, which stopped at the Gem Theater Saturday night as part of the American Jazz Museum‘s Jammin’ at the Gem Series. The group’s performance was nothing short of stellar, offering viewers a rare glimpse at someone who was a direct contributor to one of the best jazz records of all-time.