New Music Friday: Miles Davis, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters

Notable releases this week. Links go to ImportCDs.

Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool (Blue Note Tone Poet Edition)

Miles Davis' first masterpiece, Birth of the Cool, gets the royal treatment in celebration of the legendary trumpeter's centennial. Davis' seminal nonet recordings were captured in 1949-50 with a cast of notable collaborators including Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and Gil Evans. This mono Blue Note Tone Poet Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog phono reel master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket featuring session photos.

Muddy Waters - The Real Folk Blues (Chess Acoustic Sounds Series)

In the mid-1960s, Chess Records released a series of The Real Folk Blues albums that compiled singles from the careers of some of it's greatest artists. Howlin' Wolf's The Real Folk Blues combined singles recorded between 1956 and 1965 and is considered one of the best compilations of the Chess series. The music on this record paints a daring portrait of Howlin' Wolf, presenting exceptional music that had not been presented in album format before. Classics on this record include "Killing Floor," "Tail Dragger," and "Built for Comfort." Bring home the sound of America's greatest blues label in high fidelity with the Chess Records Acoustic Sounds Series. These audiophile reissues of classic albums and compilations from the Chess discography are remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP). Each disc is packaged in tip-on gatefold sleeves printed on high-grade board.

Howlin' Wolf - Real Folk Blues (chess Acoustic Sounds Series)

Muddy Waters' The Real Folk Blues was the very first release of this series and featured some of his earliest recordings, including his first recording for Artistocrat (the predecessor to Chess). The early material on this record captures the sound of early blues before it entered it's electric era. Songs like "Mannish Boy," "Walking Blues," and "Walking In The Park" remind listeners of Muddy Waters' impact on the sound of America. Bring home the sound of America's greatest blues label in high fidelity with the Chess Records Acoustic Sounds Series. These audiophile reissues of classic albums and compilations from the Chess discography are remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP). Each disc is packaged in tip-on gatefold sleeves printed on high-grade board.