For die-hard fans of Miles Davis, or for people really interested in how cool came out of bop, this is probably pretty nearly essential.
But for other people, I’m guessing it is totally inessential.
What we have here are many – though hardly all – of the recordings Miles Davis participated in from 1945 through 1950 – excluding those collected on albums like Birth of the Cool and Conception – with Miles Davis playing with Bird, Diz, Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Tadd Dameron and Sarah Vaughan – among others – and of course early sessions with Miles Davis as leader.
Nothing here – beyond the Birth of the Cool alternates – is really part of what makes Miles Davis the greatest band leader in the history of jazz. But for those interested in where he came from, it is fascinating listening. Much of this sounds like nothing he released under his own name: he plays straight ahead ’40s bop, swing, and other things that you’d never have expected to hear.
So yeah, if you love Miles Davis, get it. If you need to know the complete history of jazz, get it. But it really isn’t of much interest to the general public or even the general jazz fan.
8/10
Milestones
- Charlie Parker’s Re-Boppers “Billie’s Bounce” 3:10
- Charlie Parker’s Re-Boppers “Now’s The Time” 3:16
- Charlie Parker’s Re-Boppers “Thriving On A Riff” 3:00
- The Charlie Parker Septet “Yardbird Suite” 2:53
- The Charlie Parker Septet “Night In Tunisia” 3:01
- Billy Eckstine And His Orchestra “Oo Bop Sh’bam” 3:01
- Illinois Jacquet And His Orchestra “For Europeans Only” 2:43
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Donna Lee” 3:01
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Chasin’ The Bird” 2:44
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Cheryl” 2:58
- Coleman Hawkins All Stars “The Way You Look Tonight” 2:46
- Miles Davis All Stars “Milestones” 2:42
- Miles Davis All Stars “Little Willie Leaps” 2:51
- Miles Davis All Stars “Half Nelson” 2:44
- Miles Davis All Stars “Sippin’ At Bells” 2:22
- The Charlie Parker Quintet “Bird Of Paradise” 3:10
- The Charlie Parker Quintet “My Old Flame” 3:13
- The Charlie Parker Quintet “Out Of Nowhere” 3:03
- The Charlie Parker Quintet “Don’t Blame Me” 2:46
- The Charlie Parker Sextet “Crazeology” 2:56
- The Charlie Parker Sextet “How Deep Is The Ocean” 3:21
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Another Hair Do” 2:38
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Klaunstance” 2:45
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Bird Gets The Worm” 2:36
Enter The Cool
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Birth Of The Cool Theme” 0:19
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Symphony Sid Announces The Band” 102
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Move” 3:40
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Why Do I Love You?” 3:46
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Godchild” 5:15
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Symphony Sid Introduction” 0:27
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “S’Il Vous Plait” 4:27
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Moon Dreams” 5:06
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Budo” (Incomplete) 1:25
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Darn That Dream” 4:11
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Move” 4:48
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Moon Dreams” 3:46
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Budo” 4:23
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Steeple Chase” 3:04
- The Charlie Parker All-Stars “Merry Go Round” 2:17
- The Miles Davis Quintet “52nd Street Theme” 3:53
- The Miles Davis Quintet “Half Nelson” 3:53
- The Miles Davis Quintet “You Go To My Head” 5:37
- The Miles Davis Quintet “Chasin’ The Bird” 5:42
- Metronome All Stars “Overtime” 4:32
Boplicity
- Metronome All Stars “Victory Ball” 4:11
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Jeru” 2:27
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Move” 3:05
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Godchild” 3:02
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Budo” 2:28
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “Good Bait” 3:20
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “Focus” 3:53
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “April In Paris” 2:54
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “Webb’s Delight” 3:36
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “Milano (Miles)” 3:35
- Tadd Dameron’s Big Ten “Casbah” 3:36
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Venus De Milo” 3:05
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Rouge” 3:07
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Boplicity” 2:55
- Miles Davis And His Orchestra “Israel” 2:12
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Rifftide” 3:56
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Good Bait” 5:30
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Wahoo” 5:31
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Don’t Blame Me” 3:38
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Ladybird” 4:55
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Allen’s Alley” 4:21
Conception
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Embraceable You” 4:09
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “Ornithology” 3:45
- Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet “All The Things You Are” 4:19
- Miles Davis “Hot House” 7:50
- Miles Davis “Ornithology” (Incomplete) 3:37
- Miles Davis “Conception” 4:08
- Miles Davis “Ray’s Idea” 5:54
- Miles Davis “And His Orchestra Deception” 2:42
- Miles Davis “And His Orchestra Rocker” 2:59
- Miles Davis “And His Orchestra Moon Dreams” 3:13
- Miles Davis “And His Orchestra Darn That Dream” 3:20
- Sarah Vaughan With Jimmy Jones’ Band “Ain’t Misbehavin'” 2:59
- Sarah Vaughan With Jimmy Jones’ Band “Goodnight My Love” 3:27
- Sarah Vaughan With Jimmy Jones’ Band “It Might As Well Be Spring” 3:10
- Sarah Vaughan With Jimmy Jones’ Band “Mean To Me” 2:53
- Sarah Vaughan With Jimmy Jones’ Band “Nice Work If You Can Get It” 2:34
- Birdland All-Stars “Wee” 11:55