[2] Prestige would be Davis' label for the next five years, with occasional recordings for Blue Note and Debut, until he signed with Columbia in 1955.

His previous label, Capitol, had been disappointed with the sales of the nonet recordings released in 1949/50, and they had not offered Davis more work, when he was contacted by Prestige's Bob Weinstock.

Parker watched from the engineering booth, and his presence is said to have unnerved alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, for whom this was his first ever recording session.

Ira Gitler's liner notes stress the advantage of the 10" LP in allowing a jazz musician to stretch out.

"[5] For Davis, this was his first recording to use the new microgroove technology, and he was eager to transcend the 78rpm format's three-minute limit and stretch out his solos like he could while playing in the clubs.