The "CD for jazz newbies", it's remarkably tame, considering the presence of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, two of the fire-breathing-est saxists of the day. But since the musicians had no idea that Miles would foist this -- a set of compositions built on modes instead of traditional chord changes -- upon them, methinks they all acquitted themselves quite goodfully. This is the music that influenced The Doors, The Dead, and other rawk jammists, past and present, but few, if any, could have kept up with the directions Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Wayne Shorter (et al) later took from KoB's slight, sketchy modal jazz blueprint. Newbies should move on to Shorter's 60's stuff.