Miles Davis: The Musings of Miles (Original Jazz Classics Series) [CRAFT]

Why you'll love it

This Original Jazz Classics reissue was cut all-analog from the original tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed in mono on 180g vinyl at RTI, in a tip-on jacket with an obi. It was Miles Davis's first 12" LP.

This edition

• Original Jazz Classics Series
• 180g vinyl
• Mono
• All-analog mastering by Kevin Gray
• Tip-on jacket
• Obi strip
• Pressed at RTI
• Pressed in the USA

About the album

Every great band has a rehearsal, and this is a pretty good candidate for the one before Miles Davis's First Great Quintet. On June 7, 1955, he took Red Garland on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums to Hackensack, and Garland and Jones would be back with him in the Quintet before the year was out.

The mood is relaxed and lyrical, with Miles's muted trumpet front and centre on "Will You Still Be Mine?" and "I See Your Face Before Me." "A Gal in Calico" swings easily, "Green Haze" stretches out, and on "A Night in Tunisia" Philly Joe plays with special sticks that had bells riveted to the shafts. Rudy Van Gelder recorded the date at his home studio, and Ira Gitler wrote the liner notes.

Prestige issued it that September, and it was later reissued as The Beginning. Six tunes, one day, and a drummer with bells on; there are worse ways to spend a Tuesday.

Also at Kops: more Miles Davis on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Prestige / Craft (cat# CR00854), a reissue of the 1955 album.