Miles Davis: ’Round About Midnight
This quintet requires little in the way of introduction. It was the group that first brought John Coltrane to widespread attention, and although his later work would take him into far more radical and uncharted territory, the seeds of that evolution were already present during his period with Miles Davis. His extraordinary imagination, appetite for exploration, and ability to constantly reshape musical ideas were already becoming apparent, qualities that would flourish with astonishing speed over the next decade.
Approaching a repertoire that embraced both popular and jazz traditions, including the familiar standard Bye Bye Blackbird, Charlie Parker’s intricate bebop vehicle Ah-Leu-Cha and the Swedish folk melody Dear Old Stockholm, the quintet transformed each piece through a remarkable range of moods and textures. The performances moved from the haunting, expansive lyricism of ’Round Midnight to the playful buoyancy of Tadd’s Delight, while also capturing the rapidly maturing relationship between Davis and Coltrane. Their contrasting yet complementary voices became increasingly apparent, reaching a particularly compelling point on Cole Porter’s All Of You, where the beginnings of their future musical directions were already taking shape.
While early reactions to ’Round About Midnight were divided, the album has aged remarkably well. Kind Of Blue remains the benchmark of Davis’s achievements, but this album possesses considerable merits of its own and is widely viewed as one of the crowning accomplishments of the hard-bop period. This is one more reissue of an album that hardly lacks representation in the marketplace – I already reviewed one version in 2023. This edition, however, comes with an additional bonus track, the Prestige version of ’Round Midnight, featuring the same personnel as on the Columbia Records LP, as well as original liner notes and is pressed on limited edition 180g vinyl – might be worth hurrying.
Discography
’Round Midnight; Ah-Leu-Cha; All Of You (19.14) – Bye, Bye, Blackbird; Tadd’s Delight; Dear Old Stockholm; ’Round Midnight [Prestige version] (25.28)
Davis (t); John Coltrane (ts); Red Garland (p); Paul Chambers (b); Philly Joe Jones (d). New York, 1956.
Jazz Wax 4646LP
Frank Sinatra: In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra had always been a deeply personal vocalist, but with Wee Small Hours he took that intimacy to a much more profound and inward level. The album was so heavily shaped by the collapse of his marriage to Ava Gardner that he often called it his “Ava album”. In reality, it was just the first of many recordings influenced by their relationship.
On the Wee Small Hours, Close To You and Only The Lonely albums, Sinatra’s performances move beyond merely personal expression and approach something almost private in nature. The great irony of his relationship with Gardner was that although their connection was intensely intimate, it was rarely allowed to remain private. Instead, it unfolded on a public stage, magnified around the world by a relentless media that pursued them with near-mythic persistence.
Like many leading vocalists of his era, Sinatra had a circle of arrangers and musicians he trusted and preferred to work with. Yet he understood instinctively that he could not continue relying on the same approach that had defined the previous decade. Trust did not come easily to Sinatra; it had to be earned and proven over time. Nelson Riddle was much the same in that respect, the difference was one of temperament. Whereas Sinatra was forceful and commanding, Riddle was naturally reserved and rarely inclined to assert himself.
To modern listeners, Wee Small Hours may initially sound somewhat dated. Its musical foundations are firmly rooted in vocal jazz and classic film scoring, and Sinatra himself cited Billie Holiday as a significant influence on the album. Yet repeated listens reveal an album of remarkable depth, warmth and texture. Its carefully crafted atmosphere draws the listener into a richly realised emotional world, one that rewards patience and immersion. Ultimately, In The Wee Small Hours endures for a simple reason: it is a work of exceptional artistry, and exceptional artistry very rarely goes out of style.
Discography
In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning; Mood Indigo; Glad To Be Unhappy; I Get Along Without You Very Well; Deep In A Dream; I See Your Face Before Me; Can’t We Be Friends; When Your Lover Has Gone (25.48) – What Is This Thing Called Love?; Last Night When We Were Young; I’ll Be Around; Ill Wind; It Never Entered My Mind; Dancing On The Ceiling; I’ll Never Be The Same; This Love Of Mine; The Girl Next Door (28.18)
Sinatra (v); Nelson Riddle Orchestra featuring Harry Klee (s, cl, f); Vincent De Rosa, John Grass (frh); George Van Eps (g); Bill Miller (p); Joe Comfort (b); Phil Stephens (b); Paul Smith (cel); Alvin Stoller (d). Hollywood, USA, 1953, 1954 and 1955.
WaxTime Records 526033
