Search - Miles Davis :: Miles Davis, Vol. 1

A mixed bag of early 50s Miles

G B | Connecticut | 08/06/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album contains two sessions: the first 9 tracks are from 1952 (during Miles's heroin addiction), while the next 6 were recorded in early 1954 (his first session after kicking heroin). The song selection is interesting because it contains embryonic versions of several tunes that Miles would record more effectively later in the decade: "Dear Old Stockholm", "Woody'n'You", "Well You Needn't", "Weirdo" (a.k.a. "Sid's Ahead"), and "It Never Entered My Mind". The '52 session is alright; J.J. Johnson's trombone playing is good throughout but Miles and altoist Jackie McLean are really erratic. The '54 session (with Horace Silver, Percy Heath and Art Blakey) is much stronger -- Miles plays strongly on trumpet and you can't argue with his choice of sidemen. It's not on the level of other recordings he made later that year (Walkin', Bags Groove, the Modern Jazz Giants) but is a welcome addition to any Miles fan's collection. Volume 1 isn't as good as Volume 2, but hardcore Miles fanatics should probably pick up both."

Good Music

Scott McFarland | Manassas, VA United States | 08/31/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These were two solid sessions by Miles. They each stand up very well when compared to the sessions for Prestige done around this time frame; these have a clearer recorded sound and reasonably definitive performances (Miles sounds cool and beautiful).
The highlights here were to be revisited ("Dear Old Stockholm" a few years later on Miles' Columbia debut, and "Weirdo" here becomes "Sid's Ahead" a few years later) but there is still some nice jazz here and very nice ambience to the sessions. Horace Silver's piano on the latter session sparkles."