Miles Davis was in the process of forming his first classic quintet when he recorded this date, a Prestige set reissued by the audiophile label DCC Compact Classics. The trumpeter is featured on a quartet outing with pianist
Red Garland, bassist
Oscar Pettiford, and drummer
Philly Joe Jones, playing four standards plus a blues ("Green Haze") and "I Didn't," his answer to
Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't."
Garland and
Jones would soon be in
Miles' group, although the fiery
Pettiford proved too difficult for the trumpeter to handle and was quickly succeeded by
Paul Chambers. The interpretations are generally lyrical and melodic; even "A Night in Tunisia" sounds a bit mellow. Likable if not essential music.