#001: Presenting Cannonball Adderley
Looking to get a deeper insight into the evolution of a true jazz legend?
Rising to prominence as part of Miles Davis’ group which gave us best-selling album Kind of Blue in 1959, Cannonball Adderley has one of the most distinctive styles around.
But how did this develop, and where can we hear the early hints of what was to come?
In this Deep Listening guide, we rewind just a few short years to his debut recording as a bandleader in 1955: Presenting Cannonball on Savoy Records.
We’re going to analyse his playing on the opening track "Spontaneous Combustion" and compare it to one of his most celebrated solos: Freddie Freeloader from Kind of Blue.
As you’ll hear, this early recording presents an artist still in development, but nonetheless showcases several elements of his playing that would later become hallmarks of his most famous performances with Miles Davis and beyond...
How does it work?
We've highlighted 4 key talking points around his playing style; for each one, you challenge is to take a listen for yourself and share your own impressions of the music, via the accompanying Facebook group.
At the end, we've suggested 3 additional listening tips linked to the musicians you've heard.
This Deep Listening guide will set the scene of Cannonball Adderley's emergence in 1955 New York and help you to identify the early recognisable parts of his style, by comparing to his more-famous work with Miles Davis.