Bassist Ron Carter offers a tribute here to Miles Davis, in whose quintet he played on such crucial albums as "Miles Smiles" and "Live at the Plugged Nickel." Carter's got a quartet going for "Dear Miles," featuring pianist Stephen Scott, drummer Payton Crossley and percussionist Roger Squitero. The 10 tracks are a mix of tunes jazz fans readily associate with Davis, i.e., "Bag's Groove" and Gil Evans' "Gone," and two Carter originals, "Cut and Paste" and "595." The album is a fond remembrance that swings most righteously, yet it's hardly a Miles rehash. Carter's quartet has its own voice—note Carter's wonderful bass sortie on "Stella by Starlight," and the soulful interplay between Carter and Scott on "My Funny Valentine." "Dear Miles" is a genuine tribute, in that it's all about what Carter learned from Davis. —Philip Van Vleck