Miles Davis and John Coltrane: historic box set "The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961" reissued after 25 years

In the centenary year of the births of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, one of the most imposing documents dedicated to the meeting of these two jazz giants returns to the market. From November 6th, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings are reissuing "Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961", the historic box set collecting the recordings the two made together between 1955 and 1961, out of print for over 25 years.
The box will be available in 9LP and 6CD editions and traces the crucial years of the Davis-Coltrane collaboration, a season that would go on to permanently reshape the language of modern jazz. Alongside the complete box set, "The Best Of Miles Davis & John Coltrane (1955-1961)" will also arrive on vinyl for the first time, a double LP selecting some of the most representative recordings drawn from landmark albums such as "'Round About Midnight", "Milestones", "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "Kind Of Blue".

Produced by Michael Cuscuna and Bob Belden, "Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961" won two Grammy Awards, for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package and Best Album Notes. It had previously appeared on vinyl in an extremely limited edition released by Mosaic Records.
The new 9LP edition, by contrast, makes the material widely available, using the audio remixed and remastered in 2000 by Mark Wilder and cut directly from the analog tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. Each record comes housed in a specially designed sleeve and is included in the box set.
The edition also includes a new 60-page version of the original book, enriched with rare photographs and writing by producer George Avakian and Jimmy Cobb, drummer on "Kind Of Blue". Also featured are Bob Blumenthal's Grammy-winning liner notes, a timeline, further contributions from Cuscuna and Belden, and the original "Kind Of Blue" liner notes penned by Bill Evans.
The CD version, meanwhile, restores the original configuration of the box set released in 2000: six discs in as many minijackets and a 116-page book, all housed together in the box.

What's new

Overall, "Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961" comprises 58 recordings and spans some of the most celebrated chapters in Davis's discography, from "'Round About Midnight" and "Milestones" to "Jazz At The Plaza", "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "Kind Of Blue". The set also includes recordings that later surfaced on "Miles And Monk At Newport", "Birth Of The Blue", "Basic Miles" and "Circle In The Round".
Particularly significant is the presence of 18 recordings that, at the time of the box set's original release in 2000, were still previously unreleased and remain unavailable separately in any other format.
The reissue is part of the international celebrations marking the centenary of Davis and Coltrane, accompanied throughout the year by new releases, concerts, artistic initiatives and collaborations with various institutions. Among the projects dedicated to Davis is also the return of "The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965", while Coltrane's centenary has been marked by numerous live tributes and other special initiatives. Pre-orders for the box set are already open.

The complete tracklist

Below is the tracklist for the 9LP edition of "Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961":

LP ONE – SIDE A

Two Bass Hit (alternate take)
Two Bass Hit
Ah-Leu-Cha (alternate take)
Ah-Leu-Cha
Ah-Leu-Cha (take 5)

LP ONE – SIDE B

Little Melonae
Budo (alternate take)
Budo
Dear Old Stockholm

LP TWO – SIDE C

Bye Bye Blackbird (alternate take)
Bye Bye Blackbird
Tadd's Delight
Tadd's Delight (alternate take)

LP TWO – SIDE D

Dear Old Stockholm (alternate take)
All Of You (alternate take)
All Of You

LP THREE – SIDE E

Sweet Sue, Just You (first version)
Sweet Sue, Just You (false start with discussion by Leonard Bernstein & Miles Davis)
Sweet Sue, Just You (alternate take)
Sweet Sue, Just You
Miles Davis comments
’Round Midnight
Two Bass Hit (alternate take)

LP THREE – SIDE F

Two Bass Hit
Billy Boy
Straight, No Chaser (alternate take)

LP FOUR – SIDE G

Straight, No Chaser
Milestones (alternate take)
Milestones

LP FOUR – SIDE H

Sid’s Ahead
Little Melonae

LP FIVE – SIDE I

Dr. Jackle
On Green Dolphin Street
Fran-Dance (alternate take)

LP FIVE – SIDE J

Fran-Dance
Stella By Starlight
Love For Sale

LP SIX – SIDE K

Freddie Freeloader (false start)
Freddie Freeloader
So What

LP SIX – SIDE L

Blue In Green
Flamenco Sketches (alternate take)
Miles Davis comments

LP SEVEN – SIDE M

Flamenco Sketches
All Blues

LP SEVEN – SIDE N

Someday My Prince Will Come
Teo

LP EIGHT – SIDE O

Introduction by Willis Conover
Ah-Leu-Cha
Straight, No Chaser
Fran-Dance

LP EIGHT – SIDE P

Two Bass Hit
Bye Bye Blackbird
The Theme

LP NINE – SIDE Q

If I Were A Bell
Oleo

LP NINE – SIDE R

My Funny Valentine
Straight, No Chaser

Below is the tracklist for the 6CD edition of "Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961":

CD ONE

Two Bass Hit (alternate take)
Two Bass Hit
Ah-Leu-Cha (alternate take)
Ah-Leu-Cha
Ah-Leu-Cha (take 5)
Little Melonae
Budo (alternate take)
Budo
Dear Old Stockholm
Bye Bye Blackbird (alternate take)
Bye Bye Blackbird
Tadd's Delight
Tadd's Delight (alternate take)

CD TWO

Dear Old Stockholm (alternate take)
All Of You (alternate take)
All Of You
Sweet Sue, Just You (first version)
Sweet Sue, Just You (false start with discussion by Leonard Bernstein & Miles Davis)
Sweet Sue, Just You (alternate take)
Sweet Sue, Just You
Miles Davis comments
’Round Midnight
Two Bass Hit (alternate take)
Two Bass Hit
Billy Boy
Straight, No Chaser (alternate take)

CD THREE

Straight, No Chaser
Milestones (alternate take)
Milestones
Sid’s Ahead
Little Melonae
Dr. Jackle
On Green Dolphin Street
Fran-Dance (alternate take)
Fran-Dance
Stella By Starlight

CD FOUR

Love For Sale
Freddie Freeloader (false start)
Freddie Freeloader
So What
Blue In Green
Flamenco Sketches (alternate take)
Miles Davis comments
Flamenco Sketches
All Blues

CD FIVE

Someday My Prince Will Come
Teo
Introduction by Willis Conover
Ah-Leu-Cha
Straight, No Chaser
Fran-Dance
Two Bass Hit
Bye Bye Blackbird
The Theme

CD SIX

If I Were A Bell
Oleo
My Funny Valentine
Straight, No Chaser

Below, meanwhile, is the tracklist for "The Best Of Miles Davis & John Coltrane (1955-1961)":

LP ONE – SIDE A

Two Bass Hit
Dear Old Stockholm
Bye Bye Blackbird

LP ONE – SIDE B

’Round Midnight
Straight, No Chaser (alternate take)

LP TWO – SIDE C

Milestones
So What

LP TWO – SIDE D

Blue In Green
Someday My Prince Will Come

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