Miles Davis – Sketches Of Spain

Release Date: Jul 18, 1960
Recording Period: Nov 1959 - Mar 1960
RIAA Certification: Platinum
Label: Columbia Records

Miles Davis, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Al Block, Flute
Bernie Glow, Trumpet
Dick Hixon, Trombone
Earl Chapin, French Horn
Eddie Caine, Flute
Elvin Jones, Percussion
Ernie Royal, Trumpet
Frank Rehak, Trombone
Gil Evans, Arranger, Conductor
Harold Feldman, Oboe, Clarinet, Flute
Jack Knitzer, Bassoon
Janet Putnam, Harp
Jimmy Buffington, French Horn
Jimmy Cobb, Drums
Jimmy McAllister, Tuba
John Barrows, French Horn
José Manguel, Percussion
Louis Mucci, Trumpet
Paul Chambers, Bass
Romeo Penque, Oboe
Taft Jordan, Trumpet
Johnny Coles, Trumpet
Joe Singer, French Horn
Tony Miranda, French Horn
Bill Barber, Tuba
Danny Bank, Bass Clarinet
Teo Macero, Producer
Irving Townsend, Producer
Fred Plaut, Engineer

GRAMMY Hall of Fame Inductee, Feb 26, 1997

Sketches of Spain has been hailed by music critics as one of the best recordings of the Third Stream genre, which is described as a fusion of jazz, European classical, and world music styles. After Miles Davis and his wife s Davis attended a flamenco performance by dancer Roberto Iglesias, Davis was so inspired that he purchased every flamenco album he could find at a New York record shop.

The album is a pairing between Davis and arranger and composer Gil Evans, with whom he had collaborated before, for a set of compositions in the Spanish folk tradition. The first piece, taking up the majority of the first side, is the adagio movement from Concierto de Aranjuez. Both Evans and Davis agreed that the song had a "strong" melody. The next song, "Will o' the Wisp", is from the ballet titled El amor brujo. The third song, "The Pan Piper" is a traditional piece. The final two songs, "Saeta" and "Solea", are original compositions written by Evans.

The album has been ranked 358th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and according to Acclaimed Music, Sketches of Spain is the 393rd most ranked album on music critics' all-time lists. In response to comments that the album is something other than jazz, Davis replied, "It's music, and I like it."