Track Listing

1. Surrey with the Fringe on Top
2. Salt Peanuts
3. Something I Dreamed Last Night
4. Diane
5. Well, You Needn't
6. When I Fall in Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11320 in Music
• Brand: Prestige
• Released on: 2007-08-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

Full Steam Ahead
Steamin' was the last to be released of the four classic albums created from the marathon two day sessions in 1956, which were recorded to fulfill Davis's Prestige contract. The quintet consisted of Davis on trumpet, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. This is the second of the four albums that I've purchased, the other in my collection being Workin' With the Miles Davis Quintet.

Steamin' begins with the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" from the musical Oklahoma, a light-hearted romp. The album steamrolls ahead with a frantic version of Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts". Philly Joe's drums sound almost crazed as he sets a manic pace for the other musicians to follow, culminating with a tour-de-force percussion solo that seems to occupy most of the song's six minute running time (without once becoming stale!) before a brief stab of horns ends the piece. From there, the album settles into a more relaxed tone with Coltrane dropping out for "Something I Dreamed Last Night", prime time Davis balladry. "Diane" is another mid-tempo number that's not quite a ballad, nor quite a burner, but finds a happy medium. "Well You Needn't" has a nice call and response between Davis and Coltrane, as well as some excellent ivory work from Garland. The interplay between Garland and Chambers is especially nice on this piece. And then there's the simply devastating version of "When I Fall in Love" that closes the set. Coltrane sits this one out and I'm not sure Miles's trumpet ever sounded as poignant as it does here. I was utterly charmed by this piece, my favorite on the record. I rather wish that I had discovered this album five years ago and perhaps my wife and I would have done our first dance to this song at our wedding.

Thus far, Steamin' and Workin' have both lived up to the hype that surrounds them. Based on these, I can't wait to hear Relaxin' and Cookin'. Strongly recommended.

Miles with the Fringe on Top
This was the last of four albums recorded by the Miles Davis Quintet for Prestige records in 1956. (Cookin', Relaxin', and Workin' are the others.) My feeling is that the music, while generally strong, is what you'd expect from the last material to be released -- the music on the other albums (particularly Cookin' and Relaxin') is mostly better than what you'll find on this album.

The highlight, and without a doubt one of the best recordings from the 1956 Prestige sessions, is "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top". The rhythm section sets up their perfect light swinging groove, over which Miles's weaves a witty, melodic trumpet solo. Coltrane follows, barrelling ahead and providing the perfect constrast. "Diane" mines a similar groove though not quite reaching the same heights. The two ballads ("Something I Dreamed Last Night" and "When I Fall in Love") are typical for Miles during this time, with Coltrane sitting out; I think they are pretty colorless in comparison to "My Funny Valentine" (Cookin') and "It Never Entered My Mind" (Workin'). The same could be said for the bebop tunes -- not really on the caliber of "Airegin", "Oleo" or "Tune Up". Most of the music comes from the May session, not from the October session, so Coltrane's playing is more erratic than on Cookin' and Relaxin'.

I would get the other 3 albums from these sessions first, but this was a good enough group that almost everything by them is worth hearing. Steamin' is a very enjoyable listen.

[This review is based on the original CD issue; the tracklist is identical on both.]

Steamin' RVG sounds just sublime...
i have only been a miles davis fan for 5 years and continue to grab any new cd released, and now that i have a surround sound stereo i can enjoy highest quality sound by legendary miles cds...the first 2 songs are faster paced capped by Philly Joe Jones drum solo, while the 3rd & 5th songs gets slow & steamy hence the album title. then the pace picks up a bit, although Coltrane isnt at his best, miles is in control and runs a smooth ship. Well you neednt is my favorite song because of the Paul Chambers bass highlights, as well the bass piano drums become more playful...