Article Contributed by Craft Recordings
Published on January 27, 2026
Released to mark the trailblazing artist’s centennial, the collection focuses on Davis’ prolific mid-’50s era with his First Great Quintet
This year marks the centennial of one of the 20th century’s most important cultural icons: Miles Davis. To honor the trumpeter, bandleader, and composer’s enduring legacy, Craft Recordings has announced The Best of Miles Davis, a brand-new compilation produced in collaboration with the artist’s estate.
Available March 13 exclusively on vinyl, the collection draws from one of the most defining periods of Davis’ career—his celebrated First Great Quintet. Featuring John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, the album highlights seminal mid-1950s recordings including “’Round Midnight,” “Just Squeeze Me,” and “My Funny Valentine.”
In addition to a standard pressing on classic black vinyl, a limited-edition version of The Best of Miles Davis is available exclusively at Target, pressed on Aqua Blue vinyl and accompanied by a bonus 5” x 7” artist photo of Davis.
Davis’ centennial will be celebrated throughout 2026 with a wide range of cultural initiatives, live events, brand collaborations, and archival releases, all overseen by the artist’s estate. More information is available at MilesDavis.com.
Miles Davis (1926–1991) remains one of the most influential and forward-thinking artists of all time. A native of St. Louis, Davis moved to New York City in the mid-1940s to study at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. He quickly established himself as a formidable sideman alongside jazz luminaries including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Coleman Hawkins.
By the early 1950s, Davis had assembled his own nonet, whose recordings would later be released as The Birth of the Cool (1957). But it was the formation of his first quintet in 1955 that would forever reshape the jazz landscape.
With Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Garland on piano, Chambers on bass, and Jones on drums, the First Great Quintet helped define the hard-bop era. Over the course of three marathon sessions recorded between November 1955 and October 1956 at Rudy Van Gelder’s legendary Hackensack studio, the group produced a remarkable run of albums for Prestige Records.
These sessions yielded classics including Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet (1956), Cookin’ (1957), Relaxin’ (1958), Workin’ (1959), and Steamin’ (1961). The recordings showcased Davis’ signature Harmon mute on introspective ballads such as Duke Ellington’s “Just Squeeze Me” and Richard Rodgers’ “My Funny Valentine,” while uptempo selections like Sonny Rollins’ “Oleo” and “Airegin” captured the quintet’s kinetic energy and improvisational chemistry.
The compilation closes with Davis’ own “Four,” a performance that perfectly encapsulates the group’s telepathic interplay and lasting impact.
Though their time together was brief, the First Great Quintet played a pivotal role in shaping Davis’ identity as both a bandleader and an innovator. In the decades that followed, Davis continued to redefine jazz, pioneering post-bop, fusion, and electric experimentation while influencing generations of musicians across genres. Today, his vast catalog continues to resonate far beyond the world of jazz.
Click here to pre-order The Best of Miles Davis.
Side A
1. Just Squeeze Me
2. Oleo
3. ’Round Midnight
4. Airegin
Side B
1. My Funny Valentine
2. Well, You Needn’t
3. You’re My Everything
4. Four
About Craft Recordings
Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied catalog includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., and many more. Craft is also the catalog label team for Concord, with a mission rooted in preservation, quality, and thoughtful curation for future generations.
For more information, visit CraftRecordings.com.
