The sextet tracks with Sonny Rollins and Bennie Green were the first recordings Miles made after his affiliation with Capitol ended, a hiatus of approximately 10 months. It began a long and fruitful association with Prestige, first in all-star contexts and, later, with the first of his regular quintets. Miles was battling personal problems in this period and also was not in favor with the critics. Some of them still thought of his tone and style as “a man walking on egg shells,” when, in reality, he was into a more popping, burning attack.

The 1953 tracks with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims (all compositions by Cohn) are in a more laid-back groove, striking a balance between the Capitol nonet and the fierce swing of the “Blue ‘n’ Boogie” with J.J. Johnson and Lucky Thompson to come in 1954.