The music featured in this folio, part of a continuing series of books covering the music of the legendary trumpet player/composer, consists of original Davis compositions from three different periods.
- Miles was signed to the Prestige label in the '50s, and many of the recordings he made for that label were recorded after Miles had already signed a contract with Columbia Records. There were a number of marathon sessions made to finish out the Prestige agreement. Most of the resulting recordings are regarded as classics today, and such tunes as 'Green Haze' and 'Tune Up' are favorites among jazz musicians young and old.
- Davis' Columbia recordings of 1958-59 are prized for the excellence of the material, the solos of Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans, and the beauty of the recording quality. Kind of Blue included such gems as 'Blue in Green', 'So What' and 'Freddie Freeloader'. Not only is Kind of Blue one of the best-selling albums of all time, it kick-started the new jazz shich stressed modes and scales rather than chords.
- Miles led another legendary quartet in the early '60s with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. 'Circle' and 'Agitation' became part of the group's active repertoire. The level of soling was consistently excellent, and the quartet's appearances at clubs and concert halls were usually sold out.