Columbia were quick to record the new quintet ’ s first session on October 26 , 1955 , which was completed in 1956 to yield the album ’ Round About Midnight , released on April 3 , 1957 . In the meantime , Prestige urged Miles Davis to record as many pieces as possible . After a first studio trial on November 16 , 1955 ( Miles ), two marathon sessions followed on May 11 and October 26 , 1956 , with some twenty tracks spread over four albums for Prestige ( Cookin ’, Relaxin ’, Workin ’ and Steamin ’), which were released from 1957 to 1961 and derived great indirect benefit from Columbia ’ s lavish promotion of their newly signed artist .
First stint with Miles . Although the new quintet was enthusiastically received , there were reservations about Trane . Nat Hentoff gave the Miles album four stars out of a possible five , judging that the new tenor sounded a little too much like Dexter Gordon , Sonny Stitt , and even Sonny Rollins . The UK music publication Melody Maker , however , was a little less harsh , reproaching him only with “ trying to say too much at once ”, a trait that would soon make him the most prominent saxophonist on the scene . To Bob Weinstock , the head of Prestige , who expressed surprise that Miles had brought Trane into the studio , Miles retorted sharply : “ Man , just record the shit . You want us to play , we ’ ll play , if not we ’ ll go home .” And to his brother Vernon ’ s remark that “ You can ’ t use that guy ... everything he plays is unresolved ,” Miles snapped back , “ If he plays with me , he ’ ll resolve things .”
Miles was the more nervous because of his own doubts . Trane was shy , quiet , studious . He spent all his time practicing , even backstage between sets . Both on stage and in the studio , he seemed unsure of what was expected of him , which irritated Miles :
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