Cannonball Adderley

Somethin’ Else

First released1958

Somethin' Else, recorded on March 2, 1958, was Cannonball Adderley's landmark album for the Mercury Records label, featuring Miles Davis on trumpet as a special guest. The sessions took place at Columbia Records' 30th Street Studio in New York City, one of the premier recording facilities of the era. Producer Orrin Keepnews, who worked with Riverside Records, oversaw the project, bringing together Adderley's quintet with Davis and pianist Hank Jones. The album was notable for its straightforward, accessible hard bop approach and the rare pairing of Davis with Adderley, representing an important moment when Davis was exploring collaborations outside his first great quintet. The recording captures the spontaneity and interplay of the ensemble with the warm, balanced sound characteristic of Columbia's 30th Street Studio's acoustic properties.