Miles Davis, Vol. 1, the Japanese reissue of his first recording for the Blue Note label, is distinguishable from its American counterparts by an odd-sized paper sleeve and the addition of an alternate master of "Would'n You." The band,
Davis' first outing on the label, is characterized by three different sessions with three groups of sidemen that include
Kenny Clarke,
Jimmy Heath,
J.J. Johnson,
Percy Heath,
Art Blakey, and
Gil Coggins as a septet as one; the second, a sextet of
Johnson,
Jackie McLean on alto,
Coggins,
Clarke, and
Oscar Pettiford; and finally, a quartet of
Davis with
Horace Silver,
Blakey, and
Heath. These three sessions date from 1952-1954 and are accurtate pictures of
Davis' hard slide in to hard bop and the initial soundings of his reach for a more permanent quintet. ~ Thom Jurek