Get ConnecteD with Kind of Blue
Denise Benson (cabuay@philonline.com)
Wed, 15 Jul 1998 09:47:51 +0800
>NEW YORK--July 14, 1998--Sony Music today announced the availability of
>ConnecteD multimedia content developed for Miles Davis' classic Kind of Blue
>album, arguably one of the most influential albums in the history of recorded
>jazz.
>
> Created and developed exclusively by Sony Music, ConnecteD links regular
>CDs to corresponding multimedia content on the Internet. To activate
>ConnecteD, all a listener has to do is place a copy of the Kind of Blue CD
(CK
>64935) into their computer's CD-ROM drive and visit the Sony Music ConnecteD
>website at www.sonymusic.com/thelab/ConnecteD/ . (Only this version of
Kind of
>Blue works with the ConnecteD website as the music on this disc has been
>correctly mastered).
>
> With this new technology, content can be developed for any release, old
>or new, at any time and can be easily updated, since content resides on the
>website, as opposed to the CD master. Even older titles like Kind of Blue can
>have interactive multimedia content designed for them. Best of all, music
fans
>can use it with the CD they already own -- they don't need to buy anything
>new.
>
> Most of the material on the Miles Davis Kind of Blue ConnecteD was
>commissioned and developed exclusively for this project. A wealth a material
>is available, including: essays by bassist and jazz scholar Todd Coolman and
>jazz historian Dan Morgenstern; a transcription of Davis' solo on "So What,"
>which is synchronized with the music on the CD and allows the user to cue up
>various parts of the song; rare, never-before-seen photographs of the
session;
>photos of the individual musicians that, when clicked, allow the user to
>access each of their solos from the disc, as well as to read quotes from
Davis
>on the relevant musician; quotes from Davis that provide insight into the
>creation of Kind Of Blue; never-before-heard alternate takes and studio
>chatter from the original master recording; the original Down Beat review
from
>1959, along with a critical analysis by legendary jazz writer Ira Gitler; a
>video clip of Miles performing "So What" from the 1959 CBS special, "The
Sound
>Of Miles Davis"; audio files of interviews with numerous jazz greats such as
>Ron Carter, Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, Dave Holland, Jimmy Cobb, Nicholas
>Payton and others focusing on the importance of Kind Of Blue; a reprint of
the
>packaging, which contains noted music historian Robert Palmer's re-issue
liner
>notes as well as Bill Evans' original liner notes, both of which are linked
>certain parts of the disc so that the user can listen to a section of disc as
>they read the critic's description of that same section; and links to
numerous
>jazz-related sites. All of this material is accessible with the Kind Of Blue
>CD in the CD ROM player.
>
> "This ConnecteD content will give jazz fans new insight into Miles'
>classic recording. It will make listening to the disc an entirely new and
>exciting experience," said Jeff Levenson, Vice President, Jazz A&R and Artist
>Development for Columbia Records. "Much of the featured material has never
>been seen before, and I think it enables all who thought they knew Kind Of
>Blue to really get it."
>
> Recorded for Columbia Records in March and April of 1959, Kind of Blue
>holds a special place in jazz history. Created at a time when modal
>improvisation had captured the imagination of Miles Davis, this break from
the
>conventions of chordal complexity towards solo and group improvisation was
>embraced by Miles on the five works that legend says were composed within
>hours of the actual sessions: "So What," "Freddie Freeloader," "Blue In
>Green," "All Blues," and "Flamenco Sketches." And what an improvising group
>this band was: Miles; John Coltrane on tenor saxophone; Cannonball
Adderley on
>alto; Bill Evans or Wynton Kelly on piano; Paul "Mr. PC" Chambers on bass;
and
>Jimmy Cobb on drums. Kind of Blue represented the final recording made by
this
>band; John Coltrane, Cannonball and Bill Evans each left shortly
thereafter to
>front their own groups, and the rest, as they say, is history. History you
can
>relive time and time again if you're ConnecteD.
>
>CONTACT:
>
>Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
>
>Lisa Gephardt, 212/833-5047
>
>Lisa-Gephardt@sonymusic.com
C H R I S
"I already threaten all of the police with cancer. And I threaten all of
the heads of
government with cancer. And they will not find the answer, because the Pope
is at the
end of his rope and has no hope. You understand?"
- Lee "Scratch" Perry