Miles Davis Quintet – Miles Smiles [Stereo] (Speakers Corner Edition)

(AAA) — Lacquers cut from an analog tape copy by Maarten De Boer at Emil Berliner Studios.

(Note: Although advertised as “made from the original, analogue mastertapes,” this edition is almost certainly cut from a copy tape that was sent to Europe and used to cut the original European pressings and then stored afterward in Europe. By this point, Sony had stopped sending out original analog master tapes anywhere other than Sterling Sound (back when Sterling was still based in New York City).)

Except for the taping of a live performance at the Portland Festival, Miles Davis' discography for 1966 only lists the recordings made for the LP Miles Smiles. How strange when on considers the usual large output of Miles and his ensembles for Columbia Records in the Sixties. The bass player Ron Carter was best suited for the complicated rhythm part and remained Miles' "number one" in a quintet which gave a new interpretation to compositions by Wayne Shorter and jazz hits such as "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Eddie Harris and Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy." Every second of the nine-minute-long "Footprints" by Shorter is an absolute highlight, while the drumming of the young Tony Williams in "Freedom Jazz Dance" is full of vitality, with a quick pulse and even described as "threatening" in the liner notes. This music is neither "new stream" nor "old guard" but good modern jazz according to Anthony Tuttle. That's exactly what Miles Smiles was upon its release 40 years ago – and that's what it is to this day!

(Above description from AcousticSounds.com)