Miles Davis – Round About Midnight (LP, Japanese Edition, Jazz Analog)

‘Round About Midnightis an album by jazz composer and trumpet playerMiles Davisthat was released byColumbia Recordsin March 1957. At theNewport Jazz Festivalin 1955, Davis performed the song”‘Round Midnight” as part of an all-star jam session, with the song’s composerThelonious Monk, along withConnie KayandPercy Heathof theModern Jazz Quartet,Zoot Sims, andGerry Mulligan. Davis’s solo received a positive reception from many jazz fans and critics.[3]His response to this performance was typically laconic: “What are they talking about? I just played the way I always play.”[4]George Avakianof Columbia Records was in the audience, and his brother Aram persuaded him that he ought to sign Davis to the label.[5] Davis signed with Columbia and formed his “first great quintet” withJohn Coltraneon saxophone.’Round About Midnightwas his first album for the label. He was still under contract toPrestige, but he had an agreement that he could record material for Columbia to release after the expiration of his Prestige contract. Recording took place at Columbia studios; the first session was on October 26, 1955 at Studio D, during which the track “Ah-Leu-Cha” was recorded with three numbers that did not appear on the album. This is the first studio recording of the quintet. The remainder of the album was recorded during sessions on June 5, 1956 (“Dear Old Stockholm”, “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “Tadd’s Delight”) and September 10, 1956 (“All of You” and the titular “‘Round Midnight”) at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio. During the same period, the Miles Davis Quintet was also recording sessions to fulfill its contract with Prestige.