Somethin' Else - Cannonball Adderley

Recorded on March 9, 1958 at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, Somethin' Else is Cannonball Adderley's only album as a leader for Blue Note Records. Miles Davis appears as a sideman, making this their sole shared horn-fronted recording outside of Davis's own groups. Hank Jones plays piano, Sam Jones handles bass, and Art Blakey drums. The session captures the rapport between Adderley's fluid, soulful alto saxophone and Davis's cooler, more restrained trumpet in a relaxed hard bop setting. The album opens with an extended reading of "Autumn Leaves" that has become one of the most celebrated versions of the standard, with Davis's warm muted trumpet introduction giving way to unhurried solos from both horns. Davis contributed the modal title track, while Nat Adderley and Hank Jones co-wrote "One for Daddy-O." The remaining program draws from Cole Porter and Arthur Schwartz, with arrangements that emphasize conversational interplay over technical display. At the time of the recording, Adderley was a member of Davis's working sextet, and the session inverts their usual roles — Adderley leads while Davis supports. The album has been continuously reissued and is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the Blue Note catalog.