E. S. P.

Certainly not the most inventive record, but as an introduction to the second Miles Davis Quintet it's very important, and it's surprisingly underrated as well. This record is mostly just hard-bop, but with a band like that it's an exceptionally tight and mind-blowing hard-bop. Extremely cohesive within particular compositions and the whole album as well, when the whole band plays together it's like a chef's kiss.

After Miles' First Great Quintet all but abandoned him in the late '50s, he ended up stumbling about trying to get another solid album out. With only Chambers helping him for one extra album, Coltrane appearing a couple of times, and multiple other quintets which ultimately didn't stick together. But with E.S.P., he finally found a new quintet who had the right chemistry together, and were talented enough to be truly worthy of the title of Second Great Quintet.

To be honest, E.S.P. isn't the ... read more

Sharp, unpredictable, and technically demanding. Group synergy is amazing here

On ESP, Miles is clearly in a transitionary period between playin that thang lowkey and absolutely letting it rip. It's not a bad experience by any means, but the combination of a classic cool jazz backing with Miles blaring over it doesn't mesh as much as most would hope it does.