Photo by Jan Persson

Given Miles Davis’ long and chameleonic career, during

which the prolific trumpeter-composer-bandleader

reinvented himself several times over the course of four

decades, it would be easy to pick five essential albums

from each sub-genre that he explored. Nevertheless,

below are five absolute must-haves from his entire oeuvre.

five Essential Miles Davis Albums

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1 Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959)

A perennial best-seller, this excursion into modal jazz with

Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton

Kelly, Jimmy Cobb and Paul Chambers sets a relaxed,

mesmerizing mood that carries through from the opener

“So What” to the haunting “All Blues,” the luminous “Blue

in Green” and the gentle closer “Flamenco Sketches.”

Photo by AF archive / Alamy Stock Photo

2 Miles Ahead (Columbia, 1957)

The first of three classic orchestral collaborations with

composer-arranger Gil Evans. Highlights include a jaunty

take on Dave Brubeck’s “The Duke,” a gorgeous reading

of Kurt Weil’s “My Ship” and Evans’ moody “Blues for

Pablo” (for Picasso).

Photo by Palumbo

3 ’Round About Midnight (Columbia, 1957)

The best example of Davis’ great hard-bop quintet —

featuring John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers

and Philly Joe Jones — has Davis playing a lovely

muted trumpet on Monk’s melancholy title track

and “Bye Bye Blackbird,” and the crew swinging on

ebullient romps through Charlie Parker’s

“Ah-Leu-Cha” and Tadd Dameron’s “Tadd’s Delight.”

Photo by Esmond Edwards

4 Nefertiti (Columbia, 1968)

The fourth album by Davis’ second classic quintet

(featuring Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter

and Tony Williams) has them collectively pushing the

envelope on adventurous fare like Shorter’s “Fall,”

“Pinocchio” and the title track, Williams’ “Hand Jive”

and Hancock’s “Riot” and “Madness.”

Photo by AF archive / Alamy Stock Photo

5 In a Silent Way (Columbia, 1969)

Davis opened the door to a new world where rock meets

jazz on this seminal offering that features guitarist

John McLaughlin and keyboardists Joe Zawinul, Chick

Corea and Herbie Hancock, all of whom would go on

to have a significant impact on the fusion movement.

Moreatmospheric, meditative and less jarring that its more

hyped successor, Bitches Brew, this is transitional Miles

swimming in some new waters.

Photo by ASK Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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