Miles Davis: 'Round About Midnight

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: November 1, 2001

His Harmon mute brought deep feelings to this title ballad in 1956. It also brought wider recognition to a tenor saxophonist who was just starting to climb the stairs. Four titles from those same recording sessions have been added to the original LP and reissued this year on CD. In that respect, it's been a very good year. Miles Davis used space like few others cared to. It gave his performances an air of dignity and respect. Remember, bebop was then considered to be a crazy rebellion that ran all kinds of notes together in constant streams which could be understood by only a select few. Eventually, Miles Davis and other leading figures changed all that.

The solo work from Davis, Coltrane and Red Garland has made each song a classic. The final four tracks, originally issued on other Columbia albums, complete the set list appropriately. It was a logical program, but the LP simply couldn't hold as much material. Davis employs both his pure, open trumpet tone and a tightly muted timbre. He and Trane made perfect partners. 'Round About Midnight was a seminal LP, and Columbia's reissue brings significant, historical contributions from Miles Davis' first great quintet.

Track Listing: 'Round Midnight; Ah-Leu-Cha; All Of You; Bye Bye Blackbird; Tadd's Delight; Dear Old Stockholm; Two Bass Hit; Little Melonae; Budo; Sweet Sue, Just You.

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

Record Label: Columbia Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream