Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Michel Legrand (conductor); Charlie Parker, Phil Woods (alto saxophone); John Coltrane, Barney Wilen (tenor saxophone); Jerome Richardson (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Herbie Mann (flute); Betty Glamann (harp); Eddie Costa (vibraphone); Bill Evans, Rene Urtreger, Walter Bishop Jr (piano); Barry Gailbraith (guitar); Paul Chambers, Pierre Michelot, Teddy Kotick (bass); Kenny Dennis, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach (drums).

Recorded in New York, New York on January 17, 1951 and June 25, 1958; Paris, France on December 4 & 5, 1957. Includes liner notes by Max Harrison.

It's difficult to determine what the governing theme of this collection is, other than the demostration of Miles' veratility in different situations. The tunes come from sessions dated 1951, 1957 and 1958, each with a radically different group of players. The 1951 sessions find the unstoppable Miles going toe to toe with Charlie Parker over the rhythmic underpinnings of Max Roach. Placed in the unenviable position of trading solos with Parker on "Au Privave" and "K.C. Blues," Miles proves his mettle admirably. The Paris 1957 session finds Miles accompanied by Pierre Michelot and Kenny Clarke, among others, and the music produced ranks among the most atmospheric and understated of Miles' career (check out the eerie "L'Assassinat De Carala"). The 1958 sessions, conducted and arranged by Michel Legrand, were for the soundtrack to a Louis Malle film, and they present Miles in a more fully realized, almost orchestral setting that fans of his Gil Evans days will appreciate.