CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Kind of Blue

by: Miles Davis

Release Date March 25, 1997
This album was part of Miles' "Second Coming." Cut with only "one take" and no practice sessions. They just walked into the recording studio and "did it." What they created "on the spot was not only fresh, but also "leading edge" for a very fertile period in Jazz. And it still remains virtually unsurpassed as improvised creative arts go. As Miles said in his autobiography, "I play what I know, and then I go above it."

That is what is done here: The whole group "goes above what they know" individually and collectively; and what they create here becomes a seminal event in the cohesion of the Jazz idiom itself; one that has left an indelible imprint on Jazz history.

All of the hard work that this group had engaged in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

50th Anniversary Kind of Blue

by: Miles Davis

Release Date September 30, 2008
Bought this today.. disks fine but the insert says DVD includes 26 mins live group THe Sound of Miles Davis.. total length of DVD 81 mins.. on DVD says only 55 mins and no sign of the group playing live... stitched up!Kind of Blue

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Birth of the Cool

by: Miles Davis

Release Date January 09, 2001
When you realize that these sides were cut in 1949, you can only but marvel at the both the sophistication of both the music and the sound. For those of you that might think that anything recorded almost 60 years ago must sound primitive, think again. This is modern music, timeless music, and will pay dividends on a good sound system. How many 58 year old recording can say that?

This is great stuff, period.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Sketches of Spain

by: Miles Davis, Gil Evans

Release Date September 23, 1997
Miles Davis was one of the coolest men of our time. This was Davis' third collaboration with Gil Evans and was recorded towards the end of 1959, and this music is both original and remarkably conspicuous. "Concierto de Aranjuez" is the centrepiece around which the whole album was created, and it sucks you in right from the start. This version also includes a bonus track called "Song for Our Country" and another two-track run-through of "Concierto", which blends jazz and classical in such a way that it reaches surrealistic heights of near musical perfection. I've never been to Spain, but this incredibly rich music has me considering planning my next vacation there.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

'Round About Midnight

by: Miles Davis

Release Date April 17, 2001
It's really hard to disagree with most of the reviewers; this is Miles at his lyrical and contemplative best, and John Coltrane is really spicing the things up with his rough tenor; contrasting the leader's horn very effectivelly...

And yes, this is the album that has both the magnificent version of Monk's 'Round Midnight and the beautiful and extremely creative version of children song Bye Bye Blackbird! But there is also boppish Ah-Leu-Cha, sentimental and ironic All of You...

Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on the bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums are a rhythm section at the same time powerfull and subtle, ideal for supporting and inspiring the horns...

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Kind of Blue

by: Miles Davis

Release Date August 14, 2001
This album was part of Miles' "Second Coming." Cut with only "one take" and no practice sessions. They just walked into the recording studio and "did it." What they created "on the spot was not only fresh, but also "leading edge" for a very fertile period in Jazz. And it still remains virtually unsurpassed as improvised creative arts go. As Miles said in his autobiography, "I play what I know, and then I go above it."

That is what is done here: The whole group "goes above what they know" individually and collectively; and what they create here becomes a seminal event in the cohesion of the Jazz idiom itself; one that has left an indelible imprint on Jazz history.

All of the hard work that this group had engaged in up until this album (which was considerable) ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Bitches Brew

by: Miles Davis

Release Date June 08, 1999
An ex co-worker of mine's from my working days at the Post Office turned me on to this Miles Davis recording back in 1993. I'm glad he did because I went straight to the record store the next day and copped it. Haven't regretted it since. The improvisations, which Miles really dug from his musicians, was really hittin' on all cylinders. Some jazz fans may view this recording as rather bizarre, but this was around the time when Miles was kind of going in a different direction with his music. I would recommend this title for all jazz lovers.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

In a Silent Way

by: Miles Davis

Release Date August 20, 2002
The rise of rock music in the late 1960s as the Boom Generation came of age had a profound influence on trumpeter Miles Davis. Eager to avoid being seen as trapped in a time-warp, but also unwilling to merely copy what rock artists were doing, over the course of the next five years Davis created a body of work that is by any standards his most lasting legacy and which led eventually to his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005/2006.

In contrast to later works like A Tribute to Jack Johnson, "In a Silent Way" does not have any funky grooves or distorted electric guitar lines. Instead, the main instruments are three electric pianos, Davis' trumpet and Wayne Shorter's tenor saxophone, which combine to produce a sound that is remarkably slow, relaxed and touching all ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

The Miles Davis and Gil Evans: Complete Columbia Studio Recordings

by: Miles Davis, Gil Evans

Release Date May 11, 2004
Somewhat difficult to get into the groove of listening, because the set is more of an academic study of the recording sessions with these two giants of the jazz world.

I will edit the set to separate the listenable from the historic; some charts stop in the middle in order to begin another take.

This set also includes several takes of the same chart, as well as different solo break overdubs.

If you're looking for a set to immediately have for an evening's playlist, you'll need to spend some time picking and choosing. You may prefer to purchase their studio CDs individually. However, it's well worth the journey.

At the end of the day, it's Miles Davis during a very introspective yet lyrical point of his journey, and for me, while I could still ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Live at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival

by: Miles Davis

Release Date August 21, 2007
I can't really ever get enough enough of Miles. My i-Pod says it all - the most played MP3s = Miles and Miles and Miles of Miles. This is a great performance.