He's a touchstone in jazz conversation, a cornerstone in jazz collections, and this gemstone is just one dazzling example of his genius. This particular ballad, penned by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, has become a dear old friend. Since its debut in the 1940 musical Higher and Higher it has been covered by one or two silken voices. Yet for emotional punch even Sinatra couldn't trump that trumpet, with Miles backed by Horace Silver at the piano, Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey's whispered beat.

No need for lyrics here, the language is universal, as every intended feeling is conveyed without reaching for a single word: listen, say, for the horn's plaintive cracks and hear a heart in fracture. It's a stunning piece, and one not to be trifled with.

Read more at The Guardian.