Mastered by Kevin Gray from the Original Master Tapes and Pressed at RTI

Welcome to history. Here's your sealed invitation to Miles Davis' first-ever live recording at a club. Indeed, this two-night stand at The Blackhawk in San Francisco marks a watershed moment in jazz, a seminal event that helped transform the American musical landscape. Augmented by tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, and the ace rhythm section of Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, and Wynton Kelly, Davis performed two sets a night on April 21 and 22, 1961 that more than justify the legend.

Initially, the New York Times, in its review of the Columbia Records release of the complete Blackhawk shows, called the music "the gold standard for straight-ahead, postwar jazz rhythm." But it's something even more, an unfettered look at a great commanding and reacting to the hardest-swinging ensemble he ever assembled, the results pouring out with adventurous motifs, awestruck harmony lines, and contagious surprises.  One mustn't overlook the importance of the venue. The Blackhawk's stage measured 15-foot across, claimed enviable acoustics, sported drapes and a carpeted floor, and a single microphone, making it not unlike a choice recording studio. And this documentation shows why.

Mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray, this Impex Records edition illuminates the music in a manner on par with that of any live Miles document. Not only do the sonics amaze, but the performances, thanks to the ensemble and the material, remain unequaled. Strictly, limited to 2,000 pressings, this is one for the ages.

"Unless you have the originals, this is a superb sounding reissue that every Miles fan should own. It's as close to hearing Miles Davis play live in a small club as you're ever going to hear."
--Michael Fremer, Analog Planet, June 8, 2012