Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight (1956) {2006 DSD Japan Mini LP Edition Analog Collection SICP 1201}

The combination of attitude and intellect was irresistible. Beginning with ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT and proceeding through a remarkable succession of famous recordings over the next 30 years, Miles Davis became one of the greatest soloists, arrangers and talent scouts in the history of American music. People who didn't own a single jazz record came to know his name–Miles was a jazz icon.



    His famous intro on the title tune is based on mentor Dizzy Gillespie's arrangement, and Miles' tone, always a strong point, has here matured into something deeply personal and unique. His provocative use of space and silence–matched only by Lester Young, Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk–sets up the famous release and Coltrane's agitated statement. Here and on the Prestige recordings, Coltrane found his voice as Miles' foil, while "The Rhythm Section" (pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones), became the most celebrated in jazz–capable of smooth, bouncy delicacy ("Dear Old Stockholm," "All Of You" and "Bye Bye Blackbird"), hard swing ("Tadd's Delight") and relentless complexity (Charlie Parker's contrapuntal "Ah-Leu-Ch"). A masterpiece.

Personnel:
Miles Davis (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone)
William "Red" Garland (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Philly Joe Jones (drums)

Tracklist:
01 - 'Round Midnight (B. Hanighen-C. Williams-T. Monk) [take 1]; Sep 10, 1956
02 - Ah-Leu-Cha (C. Parker) [take 5_4]; Oct 26, 1955
03 - All Of You (C. Porter) [take 2]; Sep 10, 1956
04 - Bye Bye Blackbird (R. Henderson-M. Dixon); [take 3] Jun 5, 1956
05 - Tadd's Delight (T. Dameron) [take 2]; Jun 5, 1956
06 - Dear Old Stockholm (Traditional, arr. S. Getz); [take 1] Jun 5, 1956