One Way's 2002 collection Miami Vice: The Complete Collection goes beyond simply reissuing the two original Miami Vice soundtrack albums: 1985's Miami Vice and 1988's Miami Vice II -- instead, it concentrates on the music Jan Hammer created for the series. Everything Hammer released on the Miami Vice soundtracks, along with assorted tracks from three other albums, is presented on the first disc.  The second disc consists of material Jan Hammer wrote and recorded for the series during its entire run, all newly recorded by Hammer in 2001. This includes expanded version of incidental music he used in many different episodes and, on occasion, composites of several different themes (such as "Incoming," which pieces together music from several boat chases). Although this music is newly recorded, it fits easily next to the original soundtrack albums, and is a wholly welcome addition to the Miami Vice and Jan Hammer canon alike. The set is topped off with excellent liner notes by Jacquelyn Veinot, that not only give an over view of Jan Hammer's work for the show, but also provides track-by-track annotation of all 44 songs here, detailing where they were used on the show, often with comments by Hammer himself. Overall, it's an excellent package, a welcome addition to Hammer's catalog.

-- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
 

Miami Vice: The Complete Collection is a powerful monument to composer Jan Hammer's groundbreaking soundtrack to one of television's most memorable series. With over two hours of music, the two compact discs feature 42 memorable cuts, including 22, which have never been released to the public before. Miami Vice redefined television and Jan Hammer's soundtrack completely redefined the way in which shows were scored. The result was a chart-topping commercial success never before seen from a television soundtrack and international acclaim for series and composer alike. 

While there have been other Miami Vice albums in the past, fans have long hoped for this expanded collection and, in resounding fashion, Hammer does not fail to deliver. The old favorites, such as the original "Miami Vice Theme" and "Crockett's Theme", are all there but the real payoff is a complete disc, 22 tracks, of previously unreleased gems such as "The Talk", surely one of Hammer's finest compositions from his three and a half years scoring Miami Vice. The end result of it all is a totally wonderful musical experience. 

Even after several listenings it continues to amaze me just how many memorable tracks there are and really, when you think about it, it is amazing that anyone could fill two CDs with great music from any television series. Hammer has the most incredible gift for mood and melody and his music stands tall even without the visual components it was written to accompany.

Whether you are a fan of Miami Vice, Jan Hammer, or even if you just enjoy great music, Miami Vice: The Complete Collection delivers the goods.

-- Marc Loren, Amazon