Credits:Miles DavisDescription:KindofBlueisn'tmerelyanartistichighlightforMilesDavis,it'sanalbumthattowersaboveitspeers,arecordgenerallyconsideredasthedefinitivejazzalbum.Tobereductive,it'stheCitizenKaneofjazz--anacceptedworkofgreatnessthat'sinnovativeandentertaining.Thatmaynotmeanit'sthegreatestjazzalbumevermade,butitcertainlyisauniversallyacknowledgedstandardofexcellence.WhydoesKindofBluepossessuchamystique?Perhapsit'sthatthismusicneverflauntsitsgenius.Itlureslistenersinwiththeslow,luxuriousbasslineandgentlepianochordsof"SoWhat."Fromthatmomenton,therecordneverreallychangespace--eachtunehasasimilarrelaxedfeel,asthemusicflowseasily.YetKindofBlueismorethaneasylistening.It'sthepinnacleofmodaljazz--tonalityandsolosbuildfromchords,nottheoverallkey,givingthemusicasubtlyshiftingquality.Allofthisdoesn'tquiteexplainwhyseasonedjazzfansreturntothisrecordevenafterthey'vememorizedeverynuance.Theyreturnbecausethisisanexceptionalband-Miles