"In A Silent Way," what were the odds you'd pick my favorite LP of any type? It fits any mood I'm in. I never get tired of it. It's like highly distilled Miles. Was Tony Williams ever better? Bravo!

Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, Nefertiti and ESP all deserve a shout. Agharta and Pangaea are other ones that I really enjoy.

When I saw In A Silent Way was your number one I had a big grin followed with head nods.

Filles de Kilimanjaro is my favorite Miles Davis record. I'm probably the only person on the planet that says that, but it is. Solid number 1...

Ascenseur pour l’échafaud is a masterpiece, a beautiful record. I recommend the movie as well, the pictures and the music melt together. It's brilliant art. That soundtrack is amongst my Top 3 of Miles. Soooo coooool.

Just skimmed the comments, surprised no one is talking about Miles Smiles or ESP. Two of the best imo.

I knew you would put Somethin' Else here somewhere. I really expected it, especially after you mentioned it in Four Corners. :)

I'm new to jazz and I've watched a lot of your videos and have followed your recommendations. I have been BLOWN AWAY! Thank you so much!

All great selections. I bought Quiet Nights and Sketches of Spain at the same time in the 90’s. Those two are always linked in my Miles timeline. I enjoy the Gil Evans orchestral records, in addition to the rest of his catalog. Love the channel ⚫️

Thanks for mentioning Somthin’ Else. I downloaded it from my music service (I know, sorry. I can’t afford LPs) I love it! Every track is so beautiful.

Yes! Thank you. In a Silent Way is such a great album! Some good picks. Thanks also for including Jack Johnson. Very nice!

Thank you for sharing your top 12 at the time you made this video! Epic pics of the legend at the end of the video! Really cool you got to see him play live!

Good picks, great show! My 3, Round About Midnight, In a Silent way and Kind of Blue..

I played Bitches Brew on 4 Track reel to reel on a quad system in an Army office while stationed in Saigon. Combined Intelligence Command Vietman, (CICV). After hours hanging out. A friend had bought one of those tilted Sony Ferrite head decks. Talk about chilling out. I still have that tape.

Lovely vid Mazzy.. thanks.. its great to see your passion and enthusiasm especially when you link to your past.. thanks. ABSOLUTELY love Somethin Else!!!. Gorgeous

Nice ranking/tribute. My favourite Miles albums change regularly. I love the Man With The Horn album, 🎺

Thanks for this and shinning the light on all the differences in styles. Totally agree with your assessment of "Something Else".

what a nice surprise! Thanks for your list Norman. I love the fusion years but would also add 'Bags Groove' and 'Round About Midnight' and the LP with Milt Jackson 'Quintet/Sextet' !

I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel. Your list of 12 best Miles Davis albums is fantastic. And of course, it's very difficult to rank the output of such an accomplished artist. But I find that his electric output of the 70s and 80s got a little bit shortchanged. I would have included Dark Magus, Agharta and Pangaea on my list, or maybe I would have expanded the list to 15 instead of 12. To me, these three albums are among the best that fusion jazz ever produced. Raw anger and raw beauty side by side. I'm gonna have to watch your other videos...

Excellent one Mazzy, Miles was my entry into Jazz and I would rank " In A Silent Way" at the top one, love that one. Missing a few but got most of the important ones, also dig his funky period. Thanks for this!

Dear Mazzy, thank you for this video. Love your style. Looking forward to your top funk records like war, jb's or whoever. Big Love.

You nailed this Top 5! And yes, IN A SILENT WAY is also my favorite, with KIND OF BLUE in second place.

He recorded Steamin, Cookin, Relaxin, and Workin - 4 LPs in two days - to fulfill his contract with Prestige to take a more lucrative contract with Columbia.

I was really happy you picked Silent Way as #1. I agree with you 100%. What a beautiful album. Masterpiece!! I would also add Amandla to the list somewhere.

Fantastic Miles list! Spain didn't get the love that it deserved & im glad it made your list. I personally would have to add Water Babies in my top 10. Thanks for the video 😊

By the way! I love a man/woman who’s touching into so many of the artists snd genres i really love and grew up with. Also what i may will come to love in a not too distance future. And you do Mazzy. Thank you so much. I was born in 1966, the first album i ever heard was Rubber Soul, so i’m the Rubbersoulboy. Anyway. I love your channel. I’m from Norway. Far from home, but home.

What an amazing artist ! One of my favorite is ESP ,1965 Love from Ireland 🇮🇪

Thanks for sharing, Norman. I'm still on my Personal Jazz Discovery Journey -- for the past forty-one (41) years. I've never taken Heroin, but "Blue In Green" (from Kind of Blue, 1959) sure must feel like "shootin' up": remember the scene in Lady Sings The Blues, with Ross "Boss" (Diana): she shoots up, then you see her floating on the clouds... must be a nice view from Up There.

Norman, thanks for your Miles list. How refreshing to see In A Silent Way in the top spot instead of Kind Of Blue. Here's my top 4 Miles list... 1. Nefertiti 2. In A Silent Way 3. Kind Of Blue 4. Sketches Of Spain

BTW; That iconic album cover for “Bitches Brew”, credit Mati Klarwein the great painter and illustrator. As you know, he also did the famous “Abraxas” album cover for Carlos Santana.

Love your choices. You have given me some to look out for.

Nice! In A Silent Way is a masterpiece and on some days is my #1. I also love Miles Smiles, Milestones, and Jack Johnson

Great video that I have enjoyed a lot. Miles Davis is certainly this monolith that keeps moving closer and closer to me. But your video probably generated the final necessary nudge to get on with it. Intuitively I feel like I am going to start with "In A Silent Way". It certainly has the biggest concentration of my favourite musicians. Anyway, awesome presentation.

Love the videos. Cheers from Vancouver, BC.

Can’t quibble too much with your list. In a Silent Way is my go to late night jazz album. It’s mesmerizing. One under the radar album I would submit for consideration is Miles Smiles. Footprints and Freedom Jazz Dance are faves.

Really good review Mazzy. I recently bought 'Blue Moods' on OJC which is an 80s pressing of a 1955 recording. Has Elvin Jones (drums), Charles Mingus (bass), Britt Woodman (trombone), Miles Davis (trumpet) and Teddy Charles (vibes). Well worth getting if you haven't got it already. I really like 'Sketches of Spain'. It is compositional as opposed to Blues based, but it is a great chill-out LP.

I’m with you ! This is how I would rate Miles Davis’ Albums- In a Silent way is amazing

Sweet pictures man! Great video.

Thanks Mazzy! I'm looking forward to watching your new video about Jazz Boxed Sets. I'm finding, pretty quickly, that Box Sets can really save me money on artists that I really want to listen to frequently. I just purchased a Tom Petty Live Retrospective. I saved over 50% off the list price by purchasing them new...one at a time.

In a Silent Way I still find after all this time when I listen to it something new & interesting..Masterpiece

Very nice selection. Top 12 always going to be tough . Appreciate your love for the music and not being hung up on the “perfect audiophile pressing” very happy to see Birth Of The Cool and Sketches Of Spain, both genuine game changers. My top 12 would include ESP, Filles and My Funny Valentine

Really enjoyable as always and great choices. If you don't already have them, the Live at the Plugged Nickel (second quintet) and Complete Live at Montreux (focusing on his later electric period) boxed sets are essential (the sound is better on the Mosaic vinyl set of Plugged Nickel, but it will cost you). So glad you included "On the Corner" - I also really like "Star People".

Thank you for doing this video - very enjoyable

I could listen to your stories all day, glad I found your channel

Hi Mazzy, Thanks for responding to my post. I do a lot of mindful/active listening to my small collection of Import CD Reissues. It has been a lot of fun. I have a vintage high quality revealing stereo system. Regarding jazz CD, thanks for the tips that you provided. I have a used copy of a Columbia Records Legacy Remastered CD of 'Kind of Blue' It sounds quite impressive on my stereo IMO. I have had pretty good luck taking a chance on used import CD from France, Germany, Holland, The Netherlands & Canada. I just purchased a Japanese CD that I won at auction for around $20.00 It's been shipped. Mo-Fi CD's get great reviews from fellow audiophiles but I don't want to spend that kind of money on a CD unless it's one of my absolute fav albums. I also won a few obscure jazz titles on CD that are Japanese Imports. I listened to them online to be sure that I liked them enough to add to my collection. That can be a fun process too...to discover new jazz, pop or classical music. I will look into the individual jazz CDs & Box Sets that you recommended. I also read the comments your viewer's leave. There can be a wealth of info there..especially recommendations for certain albums on certain labels. Are you going to do a video on jazz Box Set Reissued Recordings? That wouldn't be greatly appreciated. I'll check your past videos to see if you have discussed jazz and popular music box sets. Thanks Again, David-

great video, and I would actually agree with you on # 1-2-3 ... I tuned in with a "alright, let's see what this guys ranks as the top 3" -- AGREED !!! Your albums are mint !!!! Did you hear the CD - complete 'In a Silent Way" ? -- as compared to the 'Brew' complete CD , silent way CD set is outstanding. I must add I would put 'Agartha' at #4 -- very dynamic and very brave no holds bared Davis barrage.... Well which was his groundbreaking ground shaking style.

Great video!!! Love the cover of Sketches in Spain. Spanish colours. I never understood Bitches Brew. I like the artwork but very difficult to listen to. I'd love to love it. Totally agree with your number one! I just like the fact the drummer just hit the high-hat for something like 30 minutes! It's electronic Miles BUT gentle with it! There is a wonderful subtlety!

Got a weak spot for catching a buzz off hallucinatory (or psychedelic) music, so Agharta, On the Corner, (which got 2 and a half stars from Downbeat) and Jack Johnson are apex for me. These have psycho-active properties that can do a brain melt like the best Can, Mahavishnu, Holdsworth, Hendrix and Mwandishi albums. Just a small facet of Davis, but that's the lens i got for now.

These are rock solid choices. I especially love Ascenseur Pour l’échafaud. The first time I heard In a Silent Way it was the Complete Sessions record, opening w/ the beautiful 16min Mademoiselle Marby. Lately, it’s I’ve been listening to Big Fun on repeat. I think it’s been sampled a bunch but Handsome Boy Modeling School/Dan the Automator come to mind. Plus what a name! Big Fun is even tattoo worthy if that’s yer gig. BTW, ya know what might make a great ranking…. Live at Montreux jazz records, like Cecil Taylor-Silent Tongues. So many great free-jazz performances to that end! Great channel, duders!

You chose the correct record as your number one :) But Miles made so many terrific records, making a top 12 is tough... I love many of the live albums as well

Oh wow! I'm surprised how much our rankings are alike. I don't have Birth of the Cool yet so I would put Nefertiti in its place. In A Silent Way is probably a top 10 album of all time for me. Have a great week.

Ive got a few Miles,but I've never heard of In a Silent Way,I'll have to check it out, thanks for an insightful Video into the career of Miles Davis.

Can't argue with your picks - thanks for your insight

My dad was a jazz trombonist, composer and tenured PHD in music who taught for decades and did alot in education. Anyways, Miles was one of his heroes as a young man and I inherited his album collection. Lots of Miles and Count Basie and many others. Recently i got my dad’s speakers hooked up from storage and bought a new record player. There is a particular Miles album i think you would really enjoy called The Man With The Horn..

I'm impressed. Long time jazz listener who loves Miles. I figured I would disagree with you, which I did somewhat, but thought your list was well presented and quite logical. And excellent. It was an interesting, satisfying exercise. Thank you.

He's one of those artists whom you can stick a pin ion his discography and almost inevitably come up with a 'classic'.

Happy to see you put In a Silent Way ahead of Bitch’s Brew. We want Miles!

Great stuff! My personal bias is Kind of blue is number one , but people are just bored of this choice bc of it’s popularity . I think it’s his best !

🤔 Discovering your channel while listening to Birth of the cool lp right now... 😁

Intersting list...enjoyed it very much! I must say my list would be very different, but I enjoy your perspective on things. I came into jazz as a kid from a pure jazz/be bop/swing perspective (rather than the rock influenced Bitches Brew stuff many did), so I tend to favor the earlier, "pure jazz" material - such as that on Prestige, Blue Note, etc. Which isn't to say "In A Silent Way" isn't great - it obviously is. But I'd have "Birth of the Cool", Miles Davis volumes 1 and 2 on Blue Note, "Cookin'," and so on ahead of it (if we're talking personal favorites). Was happy to see "Milestones" on this list....love that one.

Thank you Mazzy. I'm a bit late to this video. It's funny, I've been ripping many of my CDs to an SSD and there was a lot of Miles to be converted. I had a friend who bought Bitches Brew at the time and I did not get it. That got fixed a couple of years later. I eventually came around. One of the great disappointments in my life is I bought tickets to see Miles at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle (a great, intimate venue) and we went to the show and Miles was ill and was a no show. This would have been around 1981. So I missed my chance to see him live. So much great music, whether the "cool" jazz early on or the great quintets or the funk or the acid jazz (Agharta, Pangaea)...it's all wonderful listening.

Mazzy, thank you! I agreed with your selection.

Nice video - thank you! An interesting ranking, I'm wondering there is only one record from the iconic second quartet included (#12- Miles in the Sky). In the Silent Way is pure magic! 😊 Unbelievable what Teo Macero and Miles did with only 27 minutes music. My top 5 in no particular order - In the Silent Way, Kind of Blue, Sorcerer, Agharta, Jack Johnson.

People talk about Miles’ fusion period being rock-influenced but I think the only thing “rock” about it is electrification and amplification. The music itself is a wild blend of jazz-funk and avant-garde electronics in the vein of Stockhausen. It’s really nothing like anything else, including other jazz fusion bands, with the possible exception of Herbie Hancock’s Sextant period, which was influenced by Miles.

Thanks this was very useful.

My favorite on Vinyl and then one I wish they did a one step of would be The Man With the Horn … So much subtlety, composer, yet so much going on, lots of improvisation, space between the instruments, balance and flow, nothing but flow. Love the hints of electric guitar aswell. I’m so surprise this wasn’t in your list, listen to it; When I talk to people, not many have given it a listen, and when they do they fall in love.

Great video. In A Silent Way would be my choice as well. I think the beginnings of that sound are heard on Kilimanjaro. Anyone who enjoys it should follow up with John Abercrombie's Timeless which is in the same vein. The ECM reissue is all analogue and sounds fantastic. Impossible to narrow down to twelve, though I would have to include Nefertiti somewhere.

This is pretty much a perfect list. 12 of Davis's best, and probably, for me, the 12 you'd probably mention to a novice Miles fan? Great video 😁👍

I agree - I would have only given 2 or 3 positions higher to "Ascenseur pour l'échafaud", a record largely underestimated by many in my opinion

Steamin' is part of a quartet of albums. Steamin', Relaxin', Cookin' and Workin' .

Great list & commentary

Great list. MILES IS THE GOAT! Huge fan of Water Babies, Nefertiti, and Live Evil.

Awesome vid. I hope you pick some the constant, dedicated side-men and do a favorites list. I've seen Max Roach play live and bought some of his records. I know he was on a lot of the great albums, which are the ones where he stands out?

Nice list. Reminded me about Birth of the Cool. Two tops on my lists would be Miles Smiles and Sorcerer

Totally agree with you man on the top 3. What a stellar album In A Silent Way Is.

Hey Mazzy! Once again, peas in a pod ... My introduction to Miles was via John McLaughlin's My Goals Beyond. My sisters boyfriend had it, didn't care for it so gave it to me. This is probably around '74. I was floored and wanted more of that. At the time, Rasputin's Records in Pleasant Hill had the huge paper cross reference volumes out where you could use them. Looking up what else McLaughlin had done I bought In a Silent Way unheard. My world turned upside down I went back the next day and bought Bitches Brew went back the day after that and bought Jack Johnson. So from those three Miles albums I became a fan of all the other players, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Lenny White etc, etc. Later that year I started going back in Miles' catalog, 2nd quintet, 1st quintet, Gil Evans. I pity the fool who doesn't dig Sketches of Spain, a true masterpiece. If asked I have typically said Kind of Blue is my favorite album, It always calms me down, replay until you are in an appropriate state of Zen. However, although very different, In a Silent Way has the same effect on me. Plus it was the first Miles album I purchased so I applaud your making it your #1. Got to see Miles a couple of times, once on a beautiful summer evening at Concord Pavilion with Carlos, He did a long rendition of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time, and jammed with Carlos. I could go on! Love you, Doug

i got to see miles live on his last tour...he was fairly subdued by then....i love your list...can't disagree with any of it....my list may have also included seven steps to heaven, and number one probably would have been birth of the cool....but like you always say...tomorrow could be different....keep the peace my friend...rocky

I discovered how wonderful vinyl records are after being a digital person forever. Never had a decent system as a child. My mom had a RCA console that probably had a ceramic stylus. Then, I was coming of age as cassettes ruled the day. Enter the Pandemic and I can no longer play live music with the songwriter trio. I buy a semi-decent turntable and powered speakers, and play Miles Davis Kind of Blue Reissue, and my mind was blown. Then, I gave that turntable to my daughter, got a better one and better everything, then started acquiring records that were important to me and nostalgic from my childhood. Mind kept being blown by the quality of the sound. I haven;t counted, but I have a few hundred records now. I focus on getting 1st pressings when I can. Bob Dylan and Miles Davis seem to have taken the lead in the number of records I have. Thanks for helping me learn Mazzy. Appreciate the videos.

Thanks for your input--I had never heard of some of the albums, like the French soundtrack--but what about 1974's "Get Up With It"? I am currently playing this as much as possible--great outragous jazz/funk/hard rock fusion--i am loving the songs "Calypso Frelimo," "Honky Tonk," and "Red China Blues" etc., etc.!--Thanks again--Anne Leonard

Thank you for this

Nice one Mazzy, and you really stuck the landing! Bam💥

Cool one, NM. I’d slip ‘Porgy & Bess’ and ‘Round About Midnight’ in my top Miles list, as well.

In a Silent Way is, in large part, Teo Macero's record. Macero cut and spliced a lot of tape of the musicians doodling around into recognizable "cuts." These edits became the established songs after the fact. Miles never conceived the final arrangement or the mix of the music. Macero did. Credit where credit is due.

I need that miles In The Sky MoFi. It’s one I’m missing. Great video

Very good list Norman, I feel your choice shows less is more( no mention of CDs etc.). I would have found room perhaps for at least one of these albums: Miles Ahead, Miles Smiles,, E.S.P., or Filles de Kilimanjaro. Still I like your choice too. I think in some way In a Silent Way may be his best( better than Bitches Brew). Liked your mention of Birth of Cool, the reaction vs. bebop, that leads on to some of his best sextet/quintet groupings. You mentioned in discussing Kind of Blue that Miles didn't give Bill Evans credit on So What. This seemed a habit of his of making use of other musicians' compositions in his many groups and just saying it was by Miles Davis. The truth is he had a large part in the final recording of the music, so it in effect became his. He was a dark shaman. Although I liked your anecdotes about the records you don't speak much about how the music was technically or emotionally, apart from saying 'modal' once and 'fusion' a few times.

Love Davis. I have a cd Columbia box with 20-25 cds of original albums. They really sound good. On Lp I have the one with Miller from 88? Live evil, star people, under arrest, the amazing on the corner!! Wow. One of my favourites. Some 7 inches as well. Love him. Like Dylan. Never get tired of Davis.

Loved seeing Jack Johnson on this list. It's my personal favorite of his, and it often gets overlooked

I agree with Val below in as much as you can't underestimate Teo Macero's contribution with his ears, skill, vision and great editing (there's a whole section that comes back verbatim - cut and paste from earlier in the piece, structurally this is very important). but, having said that, this is not a criticism at all as the end justifies the means and this is a truly great record!

Thanks Mazzy for this informative and fun video on your fav Miles records. I really enjoyed it What are a few of your modern jazz audiophile recordings? I have tried and tried to enjoy Jazz Fusion & Hard Bop but I don't care for them. I much prefer medium swing tunes and Jazz ballads. Thanks Again. Keep up the great work!

Love this guy. I could listen to him so long.

Love your ranking! While I love Kind of Blue, I much prefer his fusion period and In a Silent Way is pure brilliance.

Bitches Brew was also my entry point into jazz back in the 1980s and one of my all time favs. I was taking vocal lessons for my rock band from a jazz singer and wanted a way to get into jazz and started with that one. It’s a meditation

Whether I acquire all of these on vinyl or not, I very much appreciate learning how to attack an artist that I am not familiar with. Of course I've known who Miles Davis is for decades, but I'm only recently opening my listening to Jazz. Thank you for helping me understand your path to discover such an artist. BTW...what did you have for lunch? Looked like you were having trouble digesting some Passover Gefilte Fish. Oy!

Thanks for the list. I'd personally make room for Miles' great live lp's: Blackhawk, Philharmonic Hall, Plugged Nickel, Festival Hall in Osaka, ... Plus, the Gil Evans lp's defintely deserve their spot in any jazz list: Miles Ahead (probably my No. 1), Porgy & Bess, Star People, ...

Great list. I would add 'Agharta', Miles' 1975 double live LP. It smokes!

Mazzy Yessss that is my Number 1. In A Silent Way and Number 2. Kind of Blue awesome Ranking Mazzy from Mazzy's point of view loved it. lovellandrew

Great list, good job. Some bold choices, and don't disagree with any.

Tony Williams really stands out on in a silent way.

I love Miles. I only have 30 of his albums, but there will be more. I bought my first Miles record i 1982, that was Miles & Coltrane. Great ranking. I would have placed Miles Smiles in there, and also Miles Ahead.

magnificent video. thanks!