Summarizing Miles Davis’ diverse career into a double-disc set seems daunting. However, Columbia/Legacy’s “Essential Miles Davis” captures his journey’s essence using key highlights. The collection has deliberate omissions, choosing only one track per album, with few exceptions. As a result, iconic albums like “Kind of Blue”, “Miles Smiles”, and “In a Silent Way” are underrepresented or absent. Still, the compilation’s chosen tracks narrate Miles’ evolutionfrom his beginnings with Charlie Parker to his collaborations with Gil Evans and Coltrane, then to his electric years. Designed not for purists but to enchant newcomers, this compilation offers a comprehensive, captivating glance at his legacy.

Disc 1

1. Now’s the Time
2. Jeru
3. ‘Round Midnight
4. Bye Bye Blackbird
5. Generique
6. Summertime
7. So What
8. The Pan Piper

Disc 2

1. Someday My Prince Will Come
2. E.S.P.
3. Nefertiti
4. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
5. Black Satin
6. Time After Time