Cannonball Adderley

Even though it wasn’t regarded at the time as more than a regular recording session by professional jazzmen, the popularity of Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else (Blue Note BST-1595) grew until it came to be considered one of the best small group jazz sessions ever. It is a mystery why some sessions are capable of generating such magic while others are not, but all of the tunes that constitute Somethin’ Else are of the same consistent quality and create a unique mood. In fact, one of the selections, the reading of the standard “Autumn Leaves,” with its particular intro/fi nale, has become the most famous version of that tune in jazz history. Although this was a Cannonball album, Miles Davis was the saxophonist’s boss at the time, and he acts as a kind of co-leader. The rhythm section had no relation to Miles’ group. In fact, Davis’ only other recording ever with pianist Hank Jones was a 1947 Aladdin session by a Coleman Hawkins septet.