Find Your Inspiration｜ Other Products ｜Miles Davis: Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud Vinyl 3x10" LP

While in Paris in November of 1957, Miles Davis was introduced to filmmaker Louis Malle and his jazz-loving assistant Jean-Paul Rappeneau, who showed Miles a private screening of a film they were working on, and subsequently persuaded him to provide the score. The composer sketched out some rudimentary harmonic sequences in his hotel room, briefly explained the plot to his sidemen (René Urtreger on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, Barney Wilen on tenor, Pierre Michelot on bass) and headed to the studio where they improvised the entire session without any composed theme, with clips from the film projected on the wall in front of them. The resulting soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud (translation: "Elevator To The Gallows"… not so romantic-sounding anymore is it?) is, as you’d expect, pure Miles brilliance. Working under the precept of a soundtrack gave Miles the confidence to go down a dozen different rabbit holes chasing different iterations of a singular theme, like the solo bass & drums on “Visite Du Vigile,” or the stalking austerity of piano and trumpet couplet “Julien Dans L’Ascenseur.” Be sure to check out swanky opener “Générique,” the confidently frenetic “Sur L'Autoroute” and the cool-as-shit “Au Bar Du Petit Bac.” This is the first vinyl edition comprising both the original soundtrack and the complete session outtakes, remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on three heavyweight 10-inch discs. The three-panel gatefold sports a lengthy essay from Miles biographer Franck Bergerot and a pretty awesome photo of the prince of darkness himself. Recommended.

60th anniversary edition expanded w/ complete session takes + one previously unreleased track
triple 10" vinyl pressing
remastered from the original analog tapes at Abbey Road Studios

housed in deluxe triple panel gatefold sleeve w/ extensive liner notes by Franck Bergerot
featuring Miles Davis (t), Barney Wilen (t. sax), René Urtreger (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Kenny Clarke (d)
original release year: 1958
music label: Fontana 2026

reviewed by nick nightingale 07/2018
Brand:Miles DavisCategory:_music-FUNKSKU:fr-3904Tags:Jazz Vinyl, recommended, soundtracks on vinyl