1959 saw the release of one of the most iconic jazz albums of all time, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. In the same year, five of the jazz legends that performed on Kind of Blue recorded a session in Chicago that is oft-overlooked. It shouldn’t be. The line-up of Julian (Cannonball) Adderley on alto saxophone, John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums, came together to record six tracks for an album originally released in 1959 as Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago. In 1964, the session was reissued as Cannonball & Coltrane. As the second title suggests, the album highlights two saxophone greats dueling and complementing each other.

This recording was released on CD as Cannonball & Coltrane by EmArcy, part of PolyGram Records, in 1988 under catalog number 834 588-2. The earliest copies were pressed in West Germany by the PDO plant. As such, there is no clear plastic ring at the center of the disc. The inserts were printed in West Germany.

This is not a particularly rare CD, but it is a must for the jazz aficionado and CD collector. The original issue of a jazz classic, even if it is oft-overlooked.

Shown below is the cover and back insert for the original issue of Cannonball & Coltrane, along with the West German pressing.

The cover for the original CD issue of Cannonball & Coltrane (EmArcy, catalog number 834 588-2). This is the standard artwork for the Cannonball & Coltrane issue of this session.

The back insert for the original CD issue of Cannonball & Coltrane (EmArcy, catalog number 834 588-2). The performers are listed towards the bottom. Note “Printed in West Germany” in the bottom left corner.

The West German pressing of Cannonball & Coltrane (EmArcy, catalog number 834 588-2). “MADE IN W.GERMANY BY PDO” is stamped near the center hole, and “MADE IN W.GERMANY BY POLYGRAM” is printed along the perimeter. The matrix code is “834 588-2 01 *”.