Miles Davis Round About Midnight CD

With the release of the spectral title tune, and the efforts of the Columbia marketing and publicity departments behind him, a thirty-year old Miles Davis entered into a period of extraordinary artistic maturity and growth. And Miles instinctively knew how to cultivate his star quality. Looming behind those shades, was the diffident, sensitive anti-hero--proud and defiant--who only spoke to his audience through his horn, and turned his back on them when the other soloists were blowing.

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.

The reissue of 'Round About Midnight is the definitive presentation of one of Miles Davis' greatest recordings. As is Legacy's wont, once an anthology box set is issued -- in this case The Complete Columbia Recordings: Miles Davis & John Coltrane -- the individual recordings are released with bonus tracks. This reissue features the original album as sequenced, with the addition of four cuts from the same sessions. Given that this was Miles Davis' debut Columbia recording, it was both a beginning and an ending. First, this is the label that issued most of his important recordings. It is also the first offering from an exciting new band that had within its ranks Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland, and John Coltrane. The date was also an ending, because by the time of the album's release, Davis had already broken up the band, which re-formed with Cannonball Adderley a year later as a sextet. Musically, this sound is as unusual and beautiful as it was when issued in 1956. Davis had already led the charge through two changes in jazz -- both cool jazz and hard bop -- and was beginning to move in another direction here that wouldn't be defined for another two years. The title track, with muted trumpet, was premiered at the Newport Jazz Festival the previous summer to a thunderous reception. Charlie Parker's "Au Leu-Cha" is edgy, with deep blues leaping from every chord change from Red Garland's left hand. Coltrane's solo here too is notable for its stark contrast to Davis' own: he chooses an angular tack where he finds the heart of the mode and play

Recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, New York between October 26, 1955 and September 10, 1956. Includes liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Red Garland (piano); Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Liner Note Authors: George Avakian; Bob Blumenthal.

Recording information: Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York, NY (10/27/1955/06/05/1956); Columbia 799 Seventh Avenue Studio, New York, NY (10/27/1955/06/05/1956); Columbia Studio D, New York, NY (10/27/1955/06/05/1956).

Photographers: Don Hunstein; Dennis Stock; Marvin Koner; Aram Avakian.

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