Customer Reviews

Collectors' Items

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The music from two different sessions are presented on this CD. On the first, a rather nervy session, we can hear Charlie Parker on tenor. It is a very interesting session, but what makes this such a wonderful record is the music from the other, almost completely unrehearsed session, with Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor.

This quintet is simply great. There is no finer trumpet or tenor playing to be heard anywhere else. My favorite is the slow Vierd blues where Miles and Rollins play such relaxed, beautiful solos. So does Flanagan, for that matter.

This is improvisation at its finest in a seemingly very relaxed atmosphere. A marvellous session!

This CD contains two different recording sessions for Prestige, one made in January 1953, the other in March 1956; both feature Sonny Rollins (ts) (Charlie Parker is also on the earlier date, playing tenor). The 1953 date, thanks to Bird, is controversial: apparently he was pretty sloshed, to Miles' great annoyance. Both men play better solos than ensemble passages; in fact, the solo work on COMPULSION is very impressive.

In general, the three sides made in '56 are better. Their version of Dave Brubeck's IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY is excellent - everyone plays beautifully. The other two tunes are blues; NO LINE is exactly that: it sounds like it starts in the middle of a piece and ends on a fade. Rollins seems greatly motivated to play as lyrically as Miles on this date. A good CD, worth getting.

This is a very nice collection of some little known studio material from the mid-50s. The first four tracks feature Miles with Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker (who is listed here under his fake name Charlie Chan for this recording-this was due to the fact that Bird was signed to record for Verve Records exclusively and therefore had to use a fake name). They are all great tracks, and very interesting for we find Bird playing tenor on this one, something which he hadn't been recorded doing since his days with Jay McShann. There are two takes of "The Serpent's Tooth" along with "Compulsion" and Monk's most well-known tune "'Round Midnight". Bird is not in top form here as far as his technique, but his playing (especially on "'Round Midnight") is very soulful. Miles and Sonny play excellent as always. The other three cuts here feature the same lineup minus Parker and are also very well done. This album really deserves to be one of Miles' better known albums, but for some reason it is not.

These tracks are taken from recordings he made in the early fifties, when he was banned from playing in most venues due to his heroin addiction. Charlie Parker plays tenor on a few tracks and it's a good CD. A must have for Miles Davis fans.

The recording sessions are from 1953 and 1956, with the linkage to both being the collaboration between Miles and Sonny Rollins.

And it's the 1953 numbers that has particular historical significance, as Charlie Parker is captured in his only work as a sideman for Miles - The Serpent's Tooth (Take i and Take 2), 'Round About Midnight, Compulsion - as the session peaks with Rollins handling the opening and closing bridges on 'Round About Midnight. Pianist Tommy Flanagan brings his unique swing style to the 1956 studio work.

Though the album cover gives the appearance of a bootleg, it is an important glance into a point in time in this summit of sound between Davis and Rollins.

it's early miles on prestige remastered. round midnight and in your own sweet way, young dewey before he was cooking, working and sweating. a nice addition to your collection for sunday morning jazz brunch or just sitting home. for those who know jazz do the names trane, monk, and philly joe mean anything, paul chambers? kook clarke?

This is a Highly enjoyable Disc.The Music is Breathtaking.it has so much depth&tone.Bird,Miles&Rollins on one set that alone takes your mind away.all the Great Musicians featured here along with Miles make this a Must have.

The remastered RVG edition of Miles Davis' "Collectors Items" offers new liner notes and improved sound, but little else. Three songs (plus an alternate take of "The Serpent's Tooth") from 1953 with Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins, and three more from 1956 with just Sonny, but unfortunately all of them are on Sonny's The Complete Prestige Recordings which I already own. I knew there was a reason why I hadn't bought this previously :-(