NEW LP
New sealed copy. 2025 Prestige Original Jazz Classics reissue. Remastered from original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Record Technology Inc.
Originally released in 1957, Walkin’ compiles material from two pivotal 1954 sessions, capturing Miles Davis in a transitional phase that helped define the sound of hard bop. The album brings together tracks from the earlier 10-inch releases Miles Davis All-Star Sextet and Miles Davis Quintet, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s home studio.
Side one features a sextet with J.J. Johnson on trombone and Lucky Thompson on tenor saxophone, anchored by the powerful title track “Walkin’,” which became a live staple and a cornerstone of the emerging hard bop movement. Side two, recorded earlier that month, presents a quintet with alto saxophonist David Schildkraut, including the tracks “Solar” and “Love Me or Leave Me.” The authorship of both “Walkin’” and “Solar” has been debated, though they remain central pieces in Davis’s catalog.
Widely regarded as a key document in post-bop development, Walkin’ captures Davis refining his voice and setting the stage for the innovations that would follow in the late 1950s. Producer Bob Weinstock once called it his favorite record he ever produced for Prestige.
TRACKLIST:
A1 Walkin'
A2 Blue 'N' Boogie
B1 Solar
B2 You Don't Know What Love Is
B3 Love Me Or Leave Me
