Song Blog Entry: “So What” - Miles Davis

Songs that typically pull me in have an element of unexpectedness and mystery to them. The intro to this tune begins with an abstract modal duo of piano and bass drifting your focus and sense of direction in all ways. The time this was recorded, such a concept was rare as jazz was fairly straight forward with structure. Davis was a forward thinking artist and always brought unorthodox ideas to the table, some of which were brilliant and some of which sounded like madness. The tune kicks of with an iconic swinging bass line followed by two simple chords that say so much. Although the song was written without lyrics, who can hear and feel the horns, piano, bass, and drums chanting “Soooo What” within the sequence. Following the head of the tune Miles comes in the play one of the greatest improvisatory jazz solos of all time. Miles was an artist who didn’t just play notes, he played silence. And this stuck with me for many years and still does. The way this tune cooks melodies and rhythms, it never gets old. A lot of popular music nowadays is pleasant to the ears but often disposable after a couple listens. Nearly 60 years after its inception to the world, “So What” remains one of the greatest tracks of all time, layed down on one of the greatest records of all time and I learn something new every listen.