The Best of Miles Davis - The Capitol / Blue Note Years (1992)

Mostly spotlighting Davis' late-'40s and early-'50s tenure at Blue Note, this best-of disc offers a very fine way for newcomers to get familiar with the early output of one of the all-time jazz greats. Not to slight later roundups on Prestige and Columbia, but Davis' Blue Note stretch provides listeners with a chance to hear the trumpeter at the height of his trad jazz solo game. Backed by some of the day's top bebop players, Davis finds his fleet feet on such up-tempo gems as "Move," Bud Powell's "Tempus Fugit," and Jimmy Heath's "C.T.A." And the ballads are just as enjoyable, especially "Yesterdays" and "It Never Entered My Mind." Topped off with two selections from a 1958 Cannonball Adderley date featuring Davis, The Best of Miles Davis makes for an attractive alternative to the complete Blue Note and Capitol Recordings package.