A purchaser's review:
"One of the musicians who opened the door of jazz for me was Miles Davis. I love this man's music! I would listen to his groovy, laid back tunes like "Footprints" or intense jazz fusion with "Spanish Key".
I never was able to find a collection that I thought gathered Miles' key moments into one place. But this collection does a great job in doing that! I am not a fan of these Essential collections. However this was an exception. What really sold me on this collection was the 3rd cd.
Upon receiving it, I really liked the feel and presentation of the digipak, which only comes with these 3cd essential sets. It folds out into four sections. With each fold, there is a colorful background with a picture of Miles. This was a really nice touch. The set comes with a booklet giving a brief biography of his life and why the songs included were chosen. It also gives you the album name from which each track came from.
Now if this was only available as a two cd set, I wouldn't buy it because I felt it missed some of my favorite tracks. However, when I found out that the 3rd cd includes some of my favorite tracks, I had to get it. What's also really nice about this set is that it covers Miles' entire career starting from the 40's all the way up to the 80's. Not all albums are represented here unfortunately, but the key ones are. Each song represents an album and there's only one from each, except two of the tracks.
I wish this collection included a song from his very last album, Doo-Bop from the early 90's. Some people didnt like this album. But it's a very important one I think. Because it shows how Miles' tried to adapt himself with every new musical environment. He tried to blend his music with the modern. That album was the first to incorporate hip-hop influences. I personally think that historically it's important and also there are some really catchy songs on that album. On the third disc, they could have included "Mystery". But again, not every album is represented. I also wish this collection included "It Never Entered My Mind" from his Workin' album, which is not represented. It's such a lovely ballad.
Overall, this is a flawless collection. It includes well known tracks and hits . I can never get myself to have all of his albums. Of course, some will say you should buy all his stuff and listen to it. Well, if you want to fully understand the man, buy his autobiography. It takes a lot of time to explore all his work. But it's worth digging deep into his music. However, this collection gives you a thoughtful overview of his career and change in styles. Make sure to get the 3cd set because it represents more albums and is just superior in design. Really happy with this purchase!
I recommend this to jazz fans and those who are both unfamiliar and familiar with his music! I wish Miles was alive today! It would have been such a delight hearing how he would adapt to today's music, without losing his artistic integrity. This is the best collection on Miles out there!
Additionally, The Penguin Guide to Jazz, which is an encyclopedia to jazz, rated this compilation 4/4 stars and they commented that although they don't like compilations in general, The Essential Miles Davis was a true exception. So even they thought it's an important collection!"