Miles Davis - The Musings Of Miles

Miles Davis was quietly assembling the future on The Musings of Miles, a relaxed 1955 quartet date that hints at the classic band waiting just around the corner.

Recorded for Prestige, it was his first 12-inch LP for the label, and it teamed him with pianist Red Garland and drummer Philly Joe Jones, with the great Oscar Pettiford on bass. Before long, Garland and Jones would be anchoring his celebrated first quintet alongside John Coltrane, and the easy rapport on show here explains why.

The mood is cool and unhurried. Miles plays with a clear, singing tone on the ballad I See Your Face Before Me, leaving plenty of air between his phrases, while Will You Still Be Mine? swings with a light, buoyant step. A Night in Tunisia picks up the heat, and Green Haze lets the quartet stretch out with easy confidence, Garland's chiming chords giving everything a gentle lift.

It is a small record in the best sense, intimate and beautifully balanced, with every musician listening as hard as he plays. For anyone tracing how Miles found the sound that would define the rest of the decade, this is an essential stepping stone, and a lovely late-night listen in its own right.