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Miles Ahead: Prestige Equivalents

The Miles Ahead database contains details for all of Miles Davis' Prestige recording sessions, and many of the records. It includes the original Prestige 12" LPs and the Japanese Victor LPs (SMJ-65xx series) released in the 1970s. Also listed are various Victor CD equivalents (VICJ-23xxx series and beyond), and the Fantasy CDs issued as part of the Original Jazz Classics series. I use the word "equivalent" a little loosely, to include issues with substantial common material as well as issues with exactly the same titles. There are now several series of Victor CDs, and most of the Prestige catalog was reissued in 20-bit/88.2KHz (K2) versions (VICJ-20xx series) and now 24-bit K2 versions with cardboard sleeves (VICJ-604xx series, VICJ-411xx series). In addition, some titles are available on 16-bit XRCDs; and Victor has begin reissuing some of the Prestige catalog on DVD Audio discs (VIAJ-60xxx series).

Also listed are some of the more common U.S. LP reissues, including twofers. If you are interested in other formats (78 rpm, 45 rpm, 10" LP), look at the Prestige equivalents query form elsewhere on this site. Prestige (and later Fantasy) reissued these records many times, often with different covers. For a full accounting of these matters, see the appendix to Michel Ruppli's excellent The Prestige Label: A Discography (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1980). A full list of the Prestige labels is available elsewhere on this site.

All of the Prestige recordings (minus a few false starts and studio chatter) are included on Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings, available on twelve LPs (Prestige P-012 or Victor VIJ 5090/101) or eight CDs (Fantasy PCD 012 or Victor VICJ 40225/32, the latter set using 20-bit/88.2 KHz mastering).

The Great Prestige Recordings (Analogue Productions APJ 035) includes the five Prestige recordings by the "first quintet" (Miles, Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin'); these have also been issued as ten 45-rpm LPs (APJ 035-45). These titles are also included in the 18-CD set The Complete Prestige Recordings of John Coltrane (Victor VICJ 60573/90 [= VICJ-41461/79]), and they've been collected, along with some live material from 1955-1958, on the 4-CD set The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions (Fantasy PRCD 4444).

The table below lists title and original LP issue, Japanese LP, Fantasy OJC CD, Japanese CD, Prestige LP reissues, and Fantasy twofers, respectively. Where known, original release dates appear in the header. The list does not include Prestige or Victor compilations of Miles Davis material.

Last updated: 5/25/2024