"Somethin' Else" is the title track from Cannonball Adderley's landmark 1958 Blue Note album, a Miles Davis composition built on a 12-bar form in F at approximately 159 bpm. In an unusual structural choice, Davis takes the first solo with seven extended choruses of muted trumpet, establishing a brooding, bluesy atmosphere with his characteristically spare phrasing and dark tone. Adderley follows with seven choruses of alto saxophone that gradually increase in intensity, his fluid bebop lines and soulful inflections providing a marked contrast to Davis's restraint. Pianist Hank Jones rounds out the solo section with four swinging choruses. The decision to give Davis the opening solo on a Cannonball Adderley album underscores the unique dynamic of this session, where Davis functioned as both sideman and creative catalyst. The tune's simple blues-based structure belies the depth of improvisation it inspires, with each soloist finding distinct pathways through the straightforward changes. Somethin' Else remains one of the most discussed albums in jazz, partly because of the Davis-Adderley dynamic and partly because the music itself achieves a perfect balance of accessibility and artistic depth.
