The Complete Columbia Album Collection (Amazon.com Exclusive) [BOX SET] [LIMITED EDITION]

Miles Davis

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 24, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 71
• Format: Box set, Limited Edition
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B002EOF7U8
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,302 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Exclusive to Amazon.com, Columbia/Legacy presents Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection, a deluxe, limited edition retrospective of the iconic music Miles Davis created during his 30 years with Columbia Records.This exquisite package, comprised of 70 CDs and 1 DVD, contains all 52 of Miles’ Columbia recordings in Japanese-styled mini LP jackets and includes a 250-page book with a biography, a fully annotated discography, a complete song index, and rare photos.

Appearing on DVD for the first time in this box is Live in Europe ’67, shot in Stockholm and Karlsruhe during the Miles Davis Quintet’s European tour of 1967. Completely remastered from the original broadcast tapes, these performances feature Miles with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. In addition to the DVD, there will be a first-time audio release of the full performance from the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Bonus tracks and other rarities that have been added to the CD reissues of individual albums in past years are also included.

• Limited Edition - Only Manufactured Once!
• 52 albums on 70 CDs in mini-LP replica jackets
• Previously Unreleased DVD: Live In Europe ‘67
• 250 page color book with biography, fully annotated discography and complete song index
• Previously unreleased and rare audio on In Paris Festival International De Jazz, Quiet Nights, At Plugged Nickel Chicago, and We Want Miles, in addition to previously released bonus material from past reissues
• First time ever complete audio release of the August 29th, 1970, Isle of Wight festival performance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Complete Miles Davis = Complete Trash, November 25, 2009

By	Tommy Atkins "Tommy Atkins" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

I'm another of the many whose box arrived absolutely trashed. We all know this is a five-star item if you only care about the music. As for an honorable product, it is a one-star affair. My box's lid was split on both sides, and all but about five of the one-disc sets had glue splattered across the playing surface. Don't listen to the guy who says the glue is only on the non-playing portion of the discs--my discs have glue on all areas of the playing surface (and I know how compact discs work). My sleeves weren't falling apart like some people report (sure, they're not tightly bound a la Japanese mini LP sleeves), but they're not great quality. I could live with the sleeves and perhaps even the broken box lid if the discs were clean. I've cleaned scads of discs in my lifetime, and know how to do it with caution; here, however, my glue removal campaign was not always successful. If you decide to remove the glue you run a big risk of scratching the discs further. Some of the discs in my set were worse than others--My "Jazz at the Plaza" looked like someone had puked on it, with one particular glue blob the circumference of a dime, and following my glue removal it looks like it's been used by a 5-year-old as a dinner plate.

What should have been a reissue of a lifetime is a shoddy rush job, and someone's job is probably going to be on the line for this. Tip to pressing plants: don't put discs in a cover BEFORE you glue the cover together.

What a colossal joke--mine is going straight back to poor Amazon. Sony, do the honorable thing and recall this set now. The Complete Miles Davis = A Complete Joke.

**Update: I ordered this from Amazon UK, and that branch of the Amazon empire makes YOU pay for shipping for returns, and you are reimbursed later (Amazon US gives you a post-paid mailing label for returns). I inquired with UPS about shipping this 10-pound monster back to England and it was prohibitively expensive, and because I was so excited for so long about getting this thing I just decided to keep it warts and all. It will always be a boondoggle to me, though--$300 may come to a couple of bucks per disc, but this is a new product and should not have to be refurbished on day one of ownership. My one-star review remains.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware of Sony/ Amazon confederates who praise this box, November 26, 2009

By	headacheboy - See all my reviews

Companies are smart these days and when a major release of this magnitude comes out in the unpardonable quality it has, be wary of those who claim the problem isn't as bad as what everyone makes it out to be. Companies have people who write positive reviews in amongst many bad reviews. The quality of this box set is inexcusable. If I wanted only the music, I would have downloaded it. To companies like Sony and Amazon, this package is a huge deal (it is mentioned everywhere as a major year end release) and the damning criticism is causing them to stir like bumblebees, hiring folks to say it's shoddy craftsmanship isn't really a problem at all. The quality of this set that is being shipped throughout the world is shameful and it should be delivered to your doorstep in pristine condition. Amazon (who are more guilty than you think, after all they bid on this project which was created for an art exhibit in Paris; in knowing they bid on this makes the poor quality all that much more suspect)and Sony need to make restitution to all the purchasers in the form of a brand new durable, high quality, pristine box set. By not doing this they have lost countless amounts of sales. (And lest you think the notion of confederate plants writing positive reviews is far-fetched, does anyone recall the fake movie critics scandal a few years ago? That was Sony's brainchild.)

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointed !, November 28, 2009

By	L. M. (London) - See all my reviews

I was so excited at the prospect of receiving this box set which I had on pre-order a couple weeks before it's release. I was like a kid waiting for his xmas present. I'm a big Miles fan and already own at least 70% of the albums on this box set - when I saw it advertised I didn't resist the temptation in owning the complete set. I had to find the money, which wasn't easy in this period of recession.

When it finally arrived I ripped open the outer packaging and pulled the first disc out and looked at the sleeve in horror! I then pulled a 2nd and a 3rd... I could not believe how poorly manufactured the sleeves were (and still are!) the quality is atrocious, the print of the original LP covers on some of them are really poor indeed and the way they have been glued together is a complete joke! Some aren't even glued straight together, most of the single sleeves are falling apart already! Then in case that wasn't enough to put you off, I made the unpleasant discovery of residual glue on playing surfaces (a lot of dissatisfied customers have already complained about this issue). 19 discs (all single sleeves) in total were affected by this. I'm very disappointed and very annoyed in equal measures. I'm not even going to try to play any of them. Pretty unbelievable! No need to say that I've already arranged a return, my set is going straight back with a full refund.

I just hope that Amazon give Sony Music a real roasting over this apparent total lack of any kind of quality control and that something will be done.