Timeless Bop material on this wonderful Miles Davis LP from 1956, which combines tracks from sessions from 1953 and 1954 already released on Prestige-10”. Miles in top form, as always with very prominent accompanying musicians, including John Lewis and Percy Heath of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Overdubs were apparently not yet invented at that time: On ‘Smooch’, a composition by Charlie Mingus, Mr. Mingus swapped his double bass for the piano because John Lewis could not perform due to an emergency.

Also noteworthy are the always informative and often amusing liner notes by legendary Jazz journalist Ira Gitler: ‘Horace Silver who would swing even if he was trying not to’ – who would want to contradict him? Heavy Rotation!

Stefan Mohr