The Best of Miles Davis: The Capitol/Blue Note Years

Miles Davis

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 25, 1992)
• Original Release Date: February 25, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000002V09
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,278 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nice, but beware...., September 23, 2000

By	Sean M. Kelly (Portland, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In some ways, this lp is a misnomer, as Miles recorded so little on the Blue Note label that all of the songs he did (2 lps worth-both compilations- in the end, other than "Birth of the Cool")are the essential recordings.

Nevertheless, what Miles DID record for the label are gems. The bulk of the recordings were recorded in 2 sessions;

May 1952, featuring JJ Johnson (trombone), Jackie MacLean (alto sax), Gil Coggins (piano), Oscar Pettiford (b), Kenny Clarke (dr) (tracks 4-6 on this cd)...

April 1953: with Johnson, Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Coggins, Percy Heath (b), and Art Blakey (dr) (tracks 7-11)

Tracks 1-3 are from the "Birth of the Cool"

Tracks 12-14 are from March 1954 with Horace Silver (piano), Percy Heath, and Art Blakey.

The songs are classics, and the playing, while great at moments, belies the terrible heroin habit that Miles and some of the other players (notably MacLean, Jimmy Heath and Blakey) were suffering from; that is why Miles' tone seems very thin at times and other times it seemed like Miles had just started playing again after long stretches of not doing so (which in fact was true).

So, take that all into consideration as you listen to these sides and get this cd. The songs are wonderful and while Miles was a junkie during this period, he could still coax a great performance out of himself, as many of these tracks show.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Early Miles, fun hour of charting his progress..., December 29, 2002

By	William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This compilation highlights the first ten years of M.D.'s long career, from "Birth of the Cool" through the classic "Somethin' Else" record which officially was led by Cannonball Adderley, but was really a Davis project. While everything on here is worth hearing, and wears well, the 1949 and '52 selections really seem shallow when compared to the 1958 complexity and beauty of "Autumn Leaves" and "Somethin' Else." If you already own that latter CD, you don't need to buy this one unless you are a Miles completist. As an overview of Davis in the 1950's, however, this is great. Consider his Columbia album "Kind of Blue", done in '59 with most of the same help as on "Somethin' Else" as the start of Miles in the '60's. I'm not even a big Miles fan, although I saw him perform in Madison Square Garden around 1970 and owned his "Live at the Blackhawk" on vinyl.You just can't own a classic jazz collection and leave him out, however. The music he created after 1970 does not interest me as much as his '50's and '60's work. If you think like me, you'll like this disc a lot.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collection of Miles davis hard-bop years, September 8, 2000

By	"williedynamite" (PlAnEt EaRtH) - See all my reviews

The best of the Blue note/ Capitol years is a compilation CD of some of the prime work from miles Davis early work as a bandleader and sideman during the 1950's. This colection mostly made up of Miles playing hard bop and really swinging. Much to like here from the uptempo bop tune move to the mid tempo enigma to the almost ballad like autumn leaves. Those are my favorites but even the other cuts are excellent. So why no five stars? There is a box set of miles davis capitol blue note years which contains all of the tunes here and then some. It's a little pricey but definetely wotth it. But for those on a budget that want to get a taste of an young Miles Davis it's definetely worth it.