Cocktail Notes || EP. 7 “Blue in Green", by Bill Evans and Miles Davis || Coldfoot

The third track in Miles Davis’ album, “Kind of Blue”, is “Blue in Green”. I had never played this ballad before this performance. The challenge of keeping track of the structure---especially during improvisation----dissuaded me from learning this song. Typically, jazz (as well as much of contemporary music) has combined measures equaling a multiple of four. This is because many melodies are built off of 4 measure phrases. “Blue in Green” consists of 10 measures. For me, the unorthodox number of measures made it awkward to develop fluid melodic phrases. I took on the challenge of learning the song and I’m really happy with the result. This time around, I was able to internalize the flow and mood of the song during the improvisation. After this episode of “Cocktail Notes”, I realized this project is providing me an outlet to follow through with songs that I was intimidated to take on.

The cocktail, “Coldfoot”, has a bright, obnoxious greenish hue---with a flavor to match. I chose this cocktail because of the playful connection between the drink’s color and the title of the song. The “minty” element also ties it to this time of the year. The specs of the drink are almost that of a martini, calling for 2 parts gin to 1 part aromatic flavorings. These flavorings consist of a little Creme de Menthe and a bit of Green Chartreuse. Even with a touch of Creme de Menthe, the drink offers a strong peppermint sensation. The intense herbal taste of the Green Chartreuse also hits the palate really hard. The combination of the two make for a really polarizing flavor, one I am not used to. In all honesty, I didn't really like the drink. I wonder if using a higher quality Creme de Menthe, or lowering the proportions of Green Chartreuse would bring balance to the drink. That is an experiment I will have to try! Cheers!

[December 10, 2020]