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MILES DAVIS

Jazz Rock/Fusion • United States


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Miles Davis biography
Miles Dewey Davis III - May 26, 1926 (Alton, Illinois, US) - September 28, 1991

Miles Davis was not only a gifted musician (trumpet and composition) but also a major artist of the twentieth century. He was in a constant search for new forms of expression. Having been a painter himself, and not unlike Pablo Picasso he tried to renew himself in all periods of his life. He played on various early bebop records, recorded one of the first cool jazz records, developped modal jazz, and was a pioneer in jazz rock . Only a few musicians have mastered like him to shape new forms and set aesthetic milestones.

The "electric" period of Miles Davis started in 1969 and ended in1975 when Miles retired due to health problems until the end of the seventies. In these years Miles distributed an important part to jazz rock. Columbia released four studio records 'In a silent way'(1969), 'Bitches Brew' (1970), 'A tribute to Jack Johnson' (1970), 'On the Corner' (1972) and an important number of live records (some released on vinyl only in Japan) : 'Black Beauty'/Live at the Fillmore West (1970), 'Live-Evil' (1970), 'Dark Magus' (1974) 'Agharta' (1975), 'Pangaea' (1975). A great part of the studio tracks recorded during these years were only released in the second half of the 70's and first half of the 80's on various compilations.

Beginning with 'In a silent way' Miles used mainly riffs or short segments and more often just simple rhythmic figures that would serve as a base for collective improvisation. At the same time the rhythmic changed from tertiary jazz rhythm to binary rock rhythm. Guitarist John Mc Laughlin became one of the key elements of the electric Miles sound. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, Miles Davis used during this period for the first time new studio techniques, new electronic instruments (among them the Fender Rhodes electric piano) and new sound devices, (Miles would use heavily the Wah-Wah pedal, popularized by Hendrix) to enlarge the sound spectrum of his music. Miles was among the first musicians to realize the full potential of modern recording studios. He and his longtime producer Teo Macero recorded non-stop whole sessions, with the intention to choose and assemble the material afterwards. They would use this technique in an extensive way, especially on 'Bitches Brew', creating musical "puzzles" through multiple edits, up to a point where the original tracks are barely recognizable. ('Pharaoh's Dance'on Bitches Br...
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MILES DAVIS discography


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MILES DAVIS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.47 | 26 ratings
First Miles
1945
3.25 | 12 ratings
Boppin' The Blues
1946
3.00 | 12 ratings
Cool Boppin'
1948
2.92 | 13 ratings
Blue Period
1951
3.33 | 33 ratings
Blue Haze [Aka: Miles Davis Quartet]
1954
3.62 | 24 ratings
The Musings Of Miles [Aka: The Beginning]
1955
3.48 | 32 ratings
Blue Moods
1955
3.53 | 19 ratings
Collectors' Items
1956
3.62 | 33 ratings
Miles Davis And Milt Jackson [Aka: Quintet/Sextet]
1956
3.48 | 21 ratings
Miles Davis And Horns
1956
3.25 | 25 ratings
Miles [Aka: The New Miles Davis Quintet]
1956
3.97 | 54 ratings
Bags' Groove
1957
4.17 | 156 ratings
'Round About Midnight
1957
3.76 | 55 ratings
Miles Davis All Stars: Walkin'
1957
4.00 | 73 ratings
The Miles Davis Quintet: Cookin'
1957
3.94 | 71 ratings
The Miles Davis Quintet: Relaxin'
1957
3.83 | 69 ratings
Miles Ahead
1957
4.18 | 184 ratings
Milestones
1958
3.35 | 60 ratings
Ascenseur Pour l'Échafaud (Lift To The Scaffold)
1958
3.63 | 30 ratings
Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants
1958
3.95 | 20 ratings
Jazz Track
1958
4.08 | 107 ratings
Porgy and Bess
1958
4.00 | 77 ratings
The Miles Davis Quintet: Workin'
1959
4.36 | 1211 ratings
Kind of Blue
1959
4.04 | 233 ratings
Sketches Of Spain
1960
3.71 | 65 ratings
Miles Davis Sextet: Someday My Prince Will Come
1961
3.96 | 73 ratings
The Miles Davis Quintet: Steamin'
1961
3.43 | 51 ratings
Quiet Nights
1963
4.06 | 90 ratings
Seven Steps To Heaven
1963
3.87 | 87 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: E.S.P.
1965
4.17 | 150 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: Miles Smiles
1966
3.99 | 111 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: Sorcerer
1967
4.06 | 152 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: Nefertiti
1968
4.03 | 120 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: Miles in the Sky
1968
3.97 | 112 ratings
Filles de Kilimanjaro
1968
4.28 | 850 ratings
In A Silent Way
1969
4.26 | 844 ratings
Bitches Brew
1970
4.18 | 274 ratings
A Tribute To Jack Johnson
1971
3.90 | 163 ratings
On The Corner
1972
4.28 | 136 ratings
Big Fun
1974
4.21 | 135 ratings
Get Up With It
1974
3.46 | 71 ratings
Water Babies
1976
3.58 | 51 ratings
The Man With The Horn
1981
3.24 | 52 ratings
Star People
1983
2.65 | 51 ratings
Decoy
1984
2.74 | 50 ratings
You're Under Arrest
1985
2.61 | 92 ratings
Tutu
1986
3.49 | 66 ratings
Aura
1989
3.44 | 56 ratings
Amandla
1989
2.44 | 65 ratings
Doo-Bop
1992
3.06 | 14 ratings
Rubberband
2019

MILES DAVIS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.82 | 11 ratings
Birdland 1951
1951
3.43 | 25 ratings
At Carnegie Hall
1961
4.04 | 27 ratings
Miles in Berlin
1964
4.16 | 39 ratings
My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert
1965
3.63 | 19 ratings
Miles in Tokyo
1969
3.24 | 46 ratings
Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East
1970
4.16 | 106 ratings
Live-Evil
1971
3.28 | 35 ratings
In Concert: Live at Philharmonic Hall
1972
3.42 | 42 ratings
Black Beauty: Live at the Fillmore West
1973
4.64 | 84 ratings
Dark Magus
1974
4.25 | 81 ratings
Pangaea
1975
3.72 | 90 ratings
Agharta
1975
3.52 | 36 ratings
We Want Miles
1982
2.88 | 8 ratings
Live In Warsaw
1983
3.15 | 7 ratings
Miles Davis And The Lighthouse All-Stars: At Last !
1985
4.00 | 1 ratings
The Second Spring
1991
1.00 | 1 ratings
The Best Live
1991
4.38 | 21 ratings
The Complete Concert 1964 My Funny Valentine + Four & More
1992
3.94 | 17 ratings
Live At Montreux (with Quincy Jones)
1993
4.63 | 19 ratings
The Complete Live at The Plugged Nickel
1995
3.22 | 18 ratings
Live Around the World
1996
4.00 | 1 ratings
Bye Bye Blackbird
1996
4.00 | 1 ratings
Fat Time
1997
3.50 | 17 ratings
At Newport 1958
2001
4.10 | 22 ratings
It's About that Time: Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970
2001
3.00 | 3 ratings
Olympia - Jul. 11th, 1973
2002
4.60 | 15 ratings
In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete
2003
4.00 | 3 ratings
European Tour '56 (With the Modern Jazz Quartet and Lester Young)
2006
4.00 | 1 ratings
Moondreams
2007
4.56 | 16 ratings
MIles Davis Quintet - Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. I
2011
3.80 | 17 ratings
Bitches Brew Live
2011
3.00 | 2 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet - The Unissued Japanese Concerts
2011
4.00 | 2 ratings
What It Is: Montreal 7/7/83
2022
4.00 | 1 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: In Concert at the Olympia, Paris 1957
2023

MILES DAVIS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

4.50 | 6 ratings
Miles in Paris
1990
4.06 | 7 ratings
The Miles Davis Story
2002

MILES DAVIS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.13 | 67 ratings
Birth of The Cool
1949
3.55 | 20 ratings
Dig
1956
4.17 | 6 ratings
Miles Davis: Volume 1
1956
4.25 | 4 ratings
Many Miles of Davis
1962
4.50 | 4 ratings
Miles Davis Vol. 1
1963
0.00 | 0 ratings
Plays For Lovers
1965
0.00 | 0 ratings
Greatest Hits
1967
2.33 | 5 ratings
Greatest Hits
1969
0.00 | 0 ratings
A Man Ahead
1970
4.50 | 4 ratings
Tallest Trees
1972
4.44 | 23 ratings
Circle In The Round
1979
4.29 | 7 ratings
'58 Sessions Featuring Stella By Starlight
1991
0.00 | 0 ratings
Miles Davis (Collection)
1993
4.50 | 2 ratings
This Is Jazz: Miles Davis Acoustic
1996
0.00 | 0 ratings
Jazz Masters - 100 Ans De Jazz
1996
3.90 | 26 ratings
The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions
1998
3.48 | 10 ratings
Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969-1974
1998
4.00 | 1 ratings
Jazz Showcase
1998
4.90 | 10 ratings
Best of the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-'68
1999
4.97 | 11 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: The Complete Studio Recordings, 1965-'68
1999
4.39 | 22 ratings
The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions
2001
4.60 | 5 ratings
The Essential Miles Davis
2001
3.83 | 14 ratings
The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
2003
4.23 | 20 ratings
The Cellar Door Sessions
2005
5.00 | 3 ratings
The Best Of Miles Davis & John Coltrane (1955-1961)
2006
0.00 | 0 ratings
The Very Best Of Miles davis: The Warner Bros. Sessions 1985/ 1991
2007
4.83 | 19 ratings
The Complete On the Corner Sessions
2007
3.00 | 1 ratings
Milestones
2007
2.00 | 1 ratings
Double Best Collection: Miles Davis
2007
5.00 | 1 ratings
Collections
2009
4.73 | 11 ratings
The Complete Columbia Album Collection
2009
4.00 | 1 ratings
Perfect Way: The Miles Davis Anthology - The Warner Bros. Years
2010
4.29 | 12 ratings
Miles Davis Quintet: Live in Europe 1969 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 2)
2013

MILES DAVIS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Miles Davis And His Orchestra Vol. 2
1953
4.09 | 2 ratings
Classics In Jazz Part 1
1954
2.00 | 1 ratings
Green Haze
1955
4.00 | 3 ratings
Collectors' Items
1957
3.50 | 2 ratings
Someday My Prince Will Come
1962
0.00 | 0 ratings
Concierto de Aranjuez
1965
0.00 | 0 ratings
Time After Time
1984
2.00 | 1 ratings
Blow / Fantasy
1992
2.95 | 3 ratings
Plugged Nickel Sampler
1995
2.00 | 1 ratings
Miles
2008

MILES DAVIS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Milestones by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1958
4.18 | 184 ratings

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Milestones
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by JakeTheGuitar2004

5 stars This here is one of the greatest Jazz albums ever made, and it should also be up there along with Kind Of Blue. This is really incredible with the amazing lineup of John Coltrane & Cannonball Adderly really pair well together as being to absolutely phenomenal virtuosos & they are both all over the place. With Miles being in the centre of the band and really controlling the music and intense Jazz improvisation it shows the brilliance of Davis using those musicians to create new forms of music, & he can do this because of confusing those musicians and then throwing them into those situations they do new and exciting things which happens on this masterpiece here.
 Dark Magus by DAVIS, MILES album cover Live, 1974
4.64 | 84 ratings

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Dark Magus
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by WJA-K

5 stars I struggled with this one. For the longest time, I didn't feel equipped to say anything about this album. My life has been all about rock and pop. I only started to listen to Jazz close to my 30s and then only sparingly.

But I decided I could say something about this album. How I feel about it and how I experience it. It boggles my mind that Miles and his band played this as an improvisation from start to end. It makes it only more special to know how unprepared Miles Davis was. Here they are. Pushing the boundaries of music off the cuff.

I only came across this album 50 years later, through Progarchives. For weeks, it is the only record I play and I discover something new every time. From the beginning right until the frantic end.

 Decoy by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1984
2.65 | 51 ratings

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Decoy
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Boi_da_boi_124

3 stars Review #151!

Yeah, it's cheap, yeah, it's corny, yeah it's 80's as all hell, but there's some absurd charm about this record that is keeping me from giving this record two stars. The 80's production I can barely see myself through, but once I can garner the courage to continue listening, I see the same Miles that made Bitches Brew and IASW, and I'm in. The title track is most likely my favorite on the album. It's essentially one big trumpet improvisation over fake bass and gaded reverb drums. Robot 415 is too short to say anything about but has its fair share of complexity for being only a minute long. Code M.D is beyond saving though. I often find myself going on my computer when this song is playing, because I just can't stand the synth drums. 'Freaky Deaky' is maybe the most organic song on the album, calling back to albums like Big Fun and Get Up With It. It is ethereal and takes its time, which I respect. 'What It Is' is another doozy. The musicianship is great, but it's just too artificial. Sorry, Miles. 'That's Right' is another bummer with the same issue as the song that preceded it. Sad, because usually, an eleven-minute jazz track is great. 'That's What Happened' I love, and for no reason. It's extremely fake and way too fast, but I like it. This album is not too much of a decoy. It has its fair share of real Miles Davis charm, but overall, not something that anyone needs to hear if they're not interested. Keep funking!

 In A Silent Way by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1969
4.28 | 850 ratings

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In A Silent Way
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Boi_da_boi_124

5 stars Review #99!

Miles Davis's 'In A Silent Way' is a beautiful little jazz album with something for all prog lovers to enjoy. It paved the way for Jazz Fusion artists and albums to come, like Frank Zappa and 'Hot Rats', Herbie Hancock (who played piano on this LP) and 'Mwandishi', and even future Miles Davis, like with the following 'Bitches Brew'. The album starts with 'Shhh/Peaceful', a sidelong, multi-part jazz freakout. There are many amazing parts in this song. Stellar percussion and horns. The opening melody repeats at some point, reestablishing the song's mood. 'In A Silent Way/It's About That Time' opens beautifully, with soft electric guitar and chiming percussion. The saxophone takes over the stage, continuing this enchanting melody. Then, out of nowhere, the song explodes into a short-lived funky saxophone solo. The percussion builds for a long time, creating anticipation in the listener. Then a guitar comes on and so forth and so forth. What an album! Every piece so powerful, every solo so meaningful! Miles would have still had an amazing discography even if he just stopped here. Prog on.

 At Newport 1958 by DAVIS, MILES album cover Live, 2001
3.50 | 17 ratings

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At Newport 1958
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars A splendid album with astonishing fierce numbers but also some lighter piano-led parts. The music is dominated by the saxophones and the trumpet. It's interesting to hear Evans live in this setting and his contrast introspective playing compared to the "black" maestros. I like Miles' playing in particular, a lot of expression and dexterity. Pity that the concert is so short. Recommended to all who like the cool and bop Miles period. At this point of time, don't expect any innovative elements here. Until recently, Jimmy Cobb was the only surviving members of this line-up. For proggers and fusioners , the 60's Miles output may be more admirable.
 Kind of Blue by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1959
4.36 | 1211 ratings

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Kind of Blue
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Maw The Void

5 stars Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue

Yeah uhm, I mean there's no way you can't give this five stars. One of the most influential and *essential* jazz albums of all time. It is a cornerstone of the multiple genres it encapsulates. Miles Davis, being a master both in technique and composition, had already made multiple master works and would later make many others, but for sure none as iconic as Kind Of Blue.

If you're into jazz this record shouldn't be hard to get into at all. If you're not into jazz, then I highly recommend you to check this album with an open mind. Track structure can sometimes (to mean mostly) be very abstract and inaccessible.

 The Miles Davis Quintet: Steamin' by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1961
3.96 | 73 ratings

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The Miles Davis Quintet: Steamin'
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars One of the couple of 1956 excellent albums with the first classic quintet including Coltrane, this is, just like the other four collections, very impressive collection first and foremost due to playing, in absence of any original material.

Brass instruments lead the pack with excellent melodies and soloing, piano is more subdued and atmospheric. Davis excells at lyrical playing such as in "Something I dreamed last night" and "When I fall in love" but equally love highly energetic pieces including old standard "Salt peanuts" with all players getting loose but mainly the drummer hitting everywhere in his solo. This is a balanced album that will mainly attract jazz fans and less likely prog fans.

 Pangaea by DAVIS, MILES album cover Live, 1975
4.25 | 81 ratings

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Pangaea
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by pedestrian

2 stars While I consider "In a Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" to be among mankind's greatest achievements, the all-out guitar-heavy fusion towards the end of this leg of Davis' career appeals far less. I find Pangaea to be generally overrated, I'm afraid. There are two tracks, which funnily could only be enjoyed (?) in their intended form when released on CD in 1985 (or rather: when people got CD players a bit later than that).

I'm a sucker for long, slowly developing works that ebb and flow, but these two tracks simply fail to keep me interested. For much of the time there is so very little happening, the rhythm section just going on and on to a single chord interspersed with loooong solos on top. Instead of dynamically drifting from one part to another the music tends to suddenly stop dead, then get going again in another tempo. It's such a contrast to, say, "Shhh/peaceful" on "in a silent way", which superficially is equally simple, but with a constant, bubbling stream of ideas bubbling under the surface. Here, below the simple surface I find largely emptiness.

To me much of Pangaea sounds like a hugely overqualified rock band which doesn't know when to stop jamming. OK, that's too harsh -- there are great moments here if you have the patience. But the Davis discography is vast, and life is short, so I'll listen to the (live tracks of) Live Evil or something next time.

 Kind of Blue by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1959
4.36 | 1211 ratings

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Kind of Blue
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Ian McGregor

5 stars The rating of this album can be used as a punchline for a joke. 4.35? What? Does people even know how important this album is? 4.35??? 4.35?!?! 4.50 would honestly be low for the sheer masterpiece that this work is.

Miles Davis is undoubtedly one of the greatest jazz players of all time. He revolutionized the genre, he created multiple genres, he had a flawless technique, and apparently his masterwork is only worth 4.35 stars. This album is even more important to jazz than ANY of the top prog albums were to prog (except Close To The Edge and Court Of The Crimson King), it revolutionized practically everything in it and established a new era of Jazz all by himself.

This has only five tracks and it was released in 1959. 1959!!! Just transport yourself to that time and listen it, then you will realize why it's important to the genre. It did things never done before. Musicality is perfect as you would expect from a Miles Davis album.

How are you not supposed to give this five stars? It's objectively five stars. It's objectively an essential album. Seriously people *facepalm*.

 First Miles by DAVIS, MILES album cover Studio Album, 1945
2.47 | 26 ratings

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First Miles
Miles Davis Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

2 stars THESE APPEAR TO BE THE OLDEST RECORDINGS IN THE ENTIRE ARCHIVES

The name MILES DAVIS is synonymous with jazz god and one has to dig deep to find a single release out of his 40 years on the scene that isn't simply amazing. Sure there are a few less than masterpiece status releases but all in all it is utterly uncanny how this single man who started out all the way back in the 1940s under the tutelage of Charlie Parker and would go on to churn out over 60 studio albums, over 100 live releases and nurtured countless up and coming musicians that went on to become superstars themselves including but not limited to John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin and the list goes on and on and on.

Well despite DAVIS appearing to have been a god in a meat suit, if one goes back far enough it is indeed possible to find early recordings that proved Mr DAVIS was a mere mortal who just happened to have reached god status while still in the flesh later on. FIRST MILES is a collection of the earliest recordings that DAVIS performed on. While more a historical relic than an actual pleasing musical session, this compilation was first released in 1988 on vinyl and then found a CD release in 1990 with a different track listing. Half of this release featured DAVIS' first recordings as a trumpet player in 1945 backing the singer Henry "Rubberlegs" Williams who was quite the character of his day having been a star of the Vaudeville scene and was even an occasional female impersonator as well as an active blues and jazz singer.

The second half of the album featured DAVIS' first recordings as a band leader in 1947 after having been seasoned as a member of Charlie Parker's band for the Savoy label. DAVIS was only 18 years old on these earliest recordings which proves he wasn't just born into the confident band leader that he would become for decades. This is definitely one for the hardcore fans only since this release features multiple alternate takes and false starts and when all is said and done really only features eight different compositions that have been multiple into twenty. Depending which release you happen to experience, you will be either hearing the earliest recordings from 1945 first as presented on the original vinyl release or the flipped version with the 1947 recordings first in line as presented on the majority of reissues.

The tracks that were recorded on April 24, 1945 with the Herbie Fields Band featured Rubberlegs Williams on vocals, DAVIS on trumpet, Herbie Fields on tenor sax and clarinet, Teddy Brannon on piano, Leonard Gaskin on bass and Ed Nicholson on drums. These are vocal jazz tunes that sound more of the style of jazz that was still popular all throughout the 1930s before the world of bop and big band swing had taken over the world. While fairly typical and not exactly finding DAVIS shine yet, these relics from the past show a glimpse of a musical genius when he was still getting his feet wet in the business. The second half shows a more confident DAVIS two years down the road with the lineup of DAVIS on trumpet, Charlie Parker on tenor sax, John Lewis on piano, Nelson Boyd on bass and Max Roach on drums. These compositions were all instrumental and featured DAVIS moving into the world of bebop.

The point of this release seems to have been to show how quickly a young DAVIS went from student to teacher with no looking back as he would soon be cranking out more recordings that any mere mortal should be capable of doing. What FIRST MILES showcases more than anything with its multiple takes is how hard musicians worked back in those days having recorded the same songs countless times which explains why there was such a wealth of material that has been released later as compilations. While this is hardly a release most would enjoy, it is nonetheless historically very important and for anyone wanting to experience every phase of DAVIS' lengthy career will not be disappointed that they took the time to listen to these earliest offerings. Not essential in the least but highly recommended for hardcore fans and historians.

Thanks to alucard for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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