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Miles Davis: 'Round About Midnight

By Jim Santella
November 1, 2001
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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

Disc One: 'Round Midnight; Ah-Leu-Cha; All Of You Bye Bye Blackbird; Tadd's Delight; Dear Old Stockholm; Two Bass Hit; Budo; Sweet Sue, Just You. Disc Two: 1955 Newport Jazz Festival: 'Round Midnight; 02/18/56 Pasadena Performance: Introduction by Gene Norman; Chance It (aka Max Is Making Wax) Walkin'; Gene Norman & Miles Davis; It Never Entered My Mind; Woody 'N You; Salt Peanuts; The Theme.

Personnel

Miles Davis

trumpet

Miles Davis: trumpet; John Coltrane: tenor saxophone; Red Garland: piano; Paul Chambers: bass; Philly Joe Jones: drums. On Disc Two, track 1: Miles Davis: trumpet; Zoot Sims: tenor saxophone; Gerry Mulligan: baritone saxophone; Thelonious Monk: piano; Percy Heath: bass; Connie Kay: drums.

Album information

Title: 'Round About Midnight (Legacy Edition) | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Sony Music

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