So What

Miles got me thinkin’
which he is wont to do
Unexpected overture
piano & bass reaching
for a first sentence
climbing & then
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)

Cavalry charge led by
modal man
played slow & cool
to walking bass
& like whither goest thou?
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)

Miles swingin’ out
into daylight, no
second fiddle
to Pops & Diz
stripping be-bop to
a blue avant-core

Miles ‘Mutha’
nurturing a who’s who of jazz
catchin’ the Trane
Cannonball too
& all the while himself
just Kind of Blue
soulin’ or cookin’
then movin’on

Setting trends
& Milestones
On the lookout for all
the right turns of phrase
sextet speaking seamlessly
Miles ahead of his time
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)

One-take Miles
cool, clear & coalescing
laid-back smilin’
Ineffable Miles
So what (ba-de-ba-de-ba)
So what

………………………………………………

Notes:

So What–first song on Miles’ 1959 Kind of Blue LP, considered by many jazz fans to be one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded; the other famous musicians on this album included Bill Evans (legendary pianist), Wynton Kelly (pianist), Paul Chambers (bassist), and Jimmy Cobb (drummer)

Pops–nickname of trumpeter Louis Armstrong; generally considered to be the Father of Jazz

Diz–Dizzy Gillespie–the most famous bebop trumpeter, known for his bullfrog cheeks and neck while playing

Trane–nickname of John Coltrane, generally considered to be the greatest alto saxophonist ever; he plays with Miles on the above album

Cannonball–nickname of Julian Adderley, another highly-esteemed alto saxophonist who also played on this album

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