Billboard : 12/16/1957
Score of 80

Remastered, converted sessions cut in 1954, also including previously unissued takes. Valuable disk for modernist collectors, with outstanding solos by such as Davis, Milt Jackson, T. Monk, H. Silver and an earlier-day Sonny Rollins. Stimulating stuff, with good sound, and two tracks of well-known title opus. Must merchandise.

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San Bernardino County Sun
Jim Angelo : 01/11/1958

Reading like a Blue Book of contemporary music is the roster on Bags’ Groove. Just check this lineup: Miles Davis, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibes; Sonny Rollins, tenor sax; Thelonoius Monk, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums – a potent mixture of top jazz veterans. Their performance on the title tune – which occupies all of side one – is a brilliant representation of their individual and collective prowess. Four originals and a stand on the flip side get mature, intelligent handling, the cohesiveness of the group being best demonstrated on Love Me Or Leave Me and Oleo. Most impressive work is that done by Davis and Jackson who stand out even in this star-studded crew. This is a prime example of crisp, clean-cut modern music.

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San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 01/12/1958

With the continued flow from the presses of excellent new-made jazz, the reviewer may be forgiven if he overlooks some of the oldies, released originally either on 78s or 10 inch LPs, and now being brought up to date on 12 inchers. Occasionally, however, there comes a reissue which cannot be overlooked. Here are four:

First, for the modern fan, Prestige’s reissue of two of the most famous recording sessions in modern jazz: the December 24, 1954 date on which Milt Jackson recorded his famous Bags’ Groove – one of the all time great jazz standards – and the June 29, 1954 session on which the Airegin set was recorded. On the first date were, of course, Jackson, Miles Davis, Monk, Percy Heath and Clarke and this side has been expanded by the inclusion of an exceedingly interesting second take of the Groove. On the Airegin side are Davis, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Heath and Clarke; this side is expanded with a second take of But Not For Me. The LP is entitled Bags Groove and is a “must” for modern fans.

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San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 10/26/1958

One of the most interesting developments in jazz during the last year has been the emergence of Thelonious Monk as the dominant pianist of the year – a development which, I suspect, was due less to an improvement in Monk than to the development of a generation of jazzmen capable of playing with him.

Until recently, musicians have praised him, had admired him – and have gone to whatever lengths necessary (with some few exceptions) to keep off the platform with him. (There was, for example, the occasion in 1954 when, on a record date, Miles Davis asked him to “lay out” on Miles’ choruses of Bags’ Groove; Monk complied and then, in his own chorus, proceeded to cut Miles as thoroughly as one could wish. (This is on Prestige 7109, a reissue.)

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Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants make a formidable team, enjoyed equally by fans in New York and San Francisco as well as countless places in between and beyond.

The team itself is a potent mixture of the top modern jazz veterans of the forties and fifties and more recently established starts of the fifties.

Although modern jazz has only been with us since the early forties, the standouts of the era are already clearly indicated and I doubt whether further jazz history will dull their lustre. A great jazz performance is always within a certain tradition and a timeless thing regardless of the era in which it was played. Some critics of jazz say that it may well be a transient thing and that we must wait centuries to see if it survives with a validity like Bach and Beethoven have in their idiom. Without going into why I would disagree with this, I would say that the new two centuries are likely to move twice as quickly, in terms of cultural evolution, as the two centuries which preceded them and the position of all music, as we know it, may be very different than its present one. All we can draw from in judging the relative merits of a jazz performance, is our listening experience within the idiom. Louis Armstrong‘s recorded solos of thirty years ago are pure and powerful statements today and, for the same reasons, Miles Davis’ of three years ago will be meaningful thirty years hence.

The Giants, here, present two different line-ups. Both included the expert rhythm combination of Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke who, at this time, were co-members of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Many Prestige sessions benefited from their complementary accompaniment.

Bags’ Groove is Milt Jackson‘s minor blues which has become a jazz standard at an early age through recordings by Milt himself, Jay & Kai, Bob Cooper and Bud Shank, Bud Powell, Mat Matthews, Jack Millman, Virgil Gonsalves and Milt again with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Here it is presented in two takes, only one of which was issued before. The take that I describe is the latter as the other will be as new to me as it is to you when I hear LP 7109.

Miles is the first soloist with Percy and Kenny backing him. This is the session where Miles asked Monk to lay out during his (Miles) choruses. Monk, who comes to play, although he had practiced the idea of laying out himself long before this session, was insulted by the request. After Miles’ beautifully logical solo, Milt plays a forceful declarative one as Monk “comps”, timidly at first, for him. Thelonious’ solo follows and he tosses rhythmic figures around like someone bouncing a rubber ball off a wall, but drops out again as Miles re-emerges to sum up in a model solo.

The session of June 29, 1954 found Heath, Clarke and Davis joined by Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver, two of the brightest and influential talents to emerge in the fifties. These were the first Davis-Rollins recordings since 1951 (Dig, Paper Moon on Prestige LP 7012) and include three Rollins originals that have been much played by Davis’ quintet and other groups in the next three years. Shelly Manne has recorded Doxy; Phil Woods and Gene Quill use it as their theme.

Airegin is not a purified alcoholic beverage; it refers to a country in Africa (spell it backwards). Miles and Sonny state the minor key theme against bass and drums backing. Horace enters to “comp” for soloists Davis and Rollins who each blow three thoughtful, swinging choruses. It is interesting to compare this version with the one later recorded by Miles and John Coltrane (Prestige LP 7094).

Oleo is spiritually reminiscent of some of the things that Charlie Parker and Miles used to do together but the form of the accompaniment is a varied one. The theme is stated by Miles and Sonny with only Percy supporting them except on the bridge where Kenny and Horace join in.

Miles opens the soloing with a puckish, muted bit in front of bass and drums. Horace is in evidence only on the bridge and this pattern is followed in Sonny’s choruses. After Horace’s solo, Miles returns for another stint with Percy backing him and the full rhythm section heard again, only on the bridge. Kenny stays aboard for the last eight bars and then the line is played in the same manner as it was in the opening chorus.

George Gershwin‘s But Not For Me is swung medium and firmly without neglecting the feeling of romantic sadness. Two solos by Miles sandwich the improvisation of Rollins and Silver. There are two takes presented here. As in the case of Bags’ Groove, my description is of the one originally issued.

Doxy, according to the dictionary, can be an option or a mistress. From the “funky” character of the piece, I would take it to be an opinion of a mistress. Miles, Sonny and Horace know the “chick” quite well and she’s down to earth it seems. This is the type of number that critics called “thin thematic material” or some other such hogwash because they have no “funk” on their shoes. The essence of jazz stares them in the face and they can’t see it.

This album is indicative of the prowess of Miles Davis and the rest of the Modern Jazz Giants; a collection of their best for 1954. If you remember, 1954 was a very good year for Giants.