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Miles Davis — 'Round Midnight
Album: Round About Midnight
Avg rating:
7.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2151









Released: 1957
Length: 5:51
Plays (last 30 days): 1
(instrumental)
Comments (73)add comment
…godlike. end of. 
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 



Perfect!
 ExpatLarry wrote:

"Don't like jazz" person or not, I don't see how anyone who calls him or her self a music lover doesn't recognize this as a great piece of music. It has stood the test of time for a reason.



I was thinking, "Not really a fan of this type of Jazz but damn, I have to admit this is amazing musicianship." I am more of a fan of the  New Orleans jazz and Caribean sound. Miles Davis just seems so dark to me. This style of Jazz takes me back to my very, very young days when I would occasionally hear this type of music on the radio or in the movies of the time. 
 zggystardust wrote:

I don't listen to a lot of Miles Davis. But every time I hear him the sounds just hit me...soulful, sad, happy, upbeat, all in one tune. 




I  Agree.  Except, I listen to him a LOT!   Thanx RP!   
I don't listen to a lot of Miles Davis. But every time I hear him the sounds just hit me...soulful, sad, happy, upbeat, all in one tune. 
Lord how can you not love this?  It's just plain sexy.... What a mood....
how can one song be interpreted so many different ways

ain't nobody taking notes

 
 PauloCM wrote:

This is an exceptional piece! It is art in its most profound form and meaning!


As noted below, sublime stuff.
9->10 
This will ring in the halls of Valhalla until the end of time.
So wonderful. Thank you Bill, er, William. 
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 



Or...picture this.  The photos of Miles with blood running down his face in the  NYC police station , after being bashed  by cops when he didn't do a step and fetch it for them. 
 idiot_wind wrote:

so how do you take Monk's composition  and arrange something like this?

Act of god? Divine intervention? 


Sheer genius, I think.
(With a splash of Divine intervention and just a smidge of madness.)

10
so how do you take Monk's composition  and arrange something like this?

Act of god? Divine intervention? 
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 



Excellent!
 bitbanger wrote:

This has got to be one of the best collection of musicians ever:

Miles Davis – trumpet
John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
Red Garland – piano
Paul Chambers – double bass
Philly Joe Jones – drumset

Dang!




I agree!!  SUPERB music!  Thanx RP!    
This has got to be one of the best collection of musicians ever:

Miles Davis – trumpet
John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
Red Garland – piano
Paul Chambers – double bass
Philly Joe Jones – drumset

Dang!
Monk's version is more trippy, dreamy,  slippery.

Dexter Gordon's version is OK, more like Monk than Miles.  Which is odd, because Dexter plays tenor.  
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 

Nice imagery!  It definitely has that feel, but then again, almost of Miles that I've heard has a similar melancholy.  Not to take away from the man's brilliance, but I can always tell when Miles comes on, in the same way I can tell with a few notes when I hear Jimi.

the first note sealed it.....Miles...no one else has that tone. 
Just too cool! 
 liveaudio608 wrote:

Sometimes actual music is called for.  Repetitive, whinny, student-level pop stuff is fine occasionally but what if RP had a Blue Note (et al) jazz station.  Gasp.



So you tune in to an Eclectic radio station to complain that it isn't a Jazz station? 
Sometimes actual music is called for.  Repetitive, whinny, student-level pop stuff is fine occasionally but what if RP had a Blue Note (et al) jazz station.  Gasp.
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 



Excellent!
The greatness of Miles is how he got fantastic players to join him and them let them play,  

Coltrane's tenor on this song is simply exquisite. 
 niseywee wrote:

Miles Davis is epic indeed, but I still prefer Lee Morgan 



I think Lee Morgan's technique was better and his tone cleaner, but they played very different types of music. Miles broke new ground. Morgan was great but his body of work was much less challenging, to me. Of course, had he not been killed so young, we can only guess at what might have been.
 expatlar wrote:

"Don't like jazz" person or not, I don't see how anyone who calls him or her self a music lover doesn't recognize this as a great piece of music. It has stood the test of time for a reason.




You don´t hate Jazz. You fear Jazz. With it`s lack of boundaries.
 Jelani wrote:
It's funny, this makes me think of Dean Martin. When I think of Dean Martin, I think of Jerry Lewis, and when I think of them I think of a lot of fun bumbling around.
I guess that's what's happening here.
 
Think of Robert Mitchum, Dana Andrews, or  Richard Widmark
 chris_the_man wrote:
I rarely give a 1 but miles Davis musici really depresses me and also i feel a bit foeked up from it.i don t know why but most jazz does that.
 
It is powerful shit...handle with care
I know, I know: Round About is a jazz classic.  Dexter Gordon does a nice cover of it, on a tenor. 

But for some reason, this song,  no matter who plays it, just seems to be too much of a meandering.   
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

Stephen,

Your commentary here is ... just ... fantastic. 

You nailed it.  Are you a professional writer? 

You have certainly moved me.  To paraphrase Maverick,  "I feel the neeeed, for ...   some Dashiell Hammett". 

To read while listening to some more Miles.  On vinyl.  In a dark room.  With that bottle you mentioned.  And a dirty glass.  And maybe a rodent or two. 

Well, maybe my wife won't go for that last part.

Well done sir.  Off to the library ...


To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 
 
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:
To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 
 
Let me know when you finish writing the screenplay for the movie.  I'll buy a ticket when it hits the theaters.  
Miles Davis is epic indeed, but I still prefer Lee Morgan 
Sublime stuff.
 ritajohnson wrote:
Good grief, he was 29 when this came out. So young, so mature. 
 
I think this album was actually released in 1957, so he was a little older.  However, he started playing in Charlie Parker's combo when he was around 20 - about 12 years before this recording.
This is an excellent version but The Monk Quartet's 1958 live version from the Five Spot, with Johnny Griffin on sax, is awesome.
 chris_the_man wrote:
I rarely give a 1 but miles Davis musici really depresses me and also i feel a bit foeked up from it.i don t know why but most jazz does that.
 
I was about to give this comment a thumb down vote....then realized that's your opinion and I'm sorry you don't like Miles' music.  To each their own!  Long Live RP!! 
I rarely give a 1 but miles Davis musici really depresses me and also i feel a bit foeked up from it.i don t know why but most jazz does that.
Bb Minor and the Harmon mute.  Monk wrote it and this version does it proper justice.
 haresfur wrote:
In its own quiet way this rocked the world. Someday I really need to muster up the energy for the challenge of Bitches Brew.
 
If you want to try out some really far out Miles try this one from Get Up With it.  He wrote it as a tribute to Duke Ellington after he died.  Brian Eno cited it as a lasting influence on his work.

https://youtu.be/3Fc_-VZlkcM
Good grief, he was 29 when this came out. So young, so mature. 
Wonderful! So glad I got to see him live before he left us.
... makes plans to play 'Kind Of Blue' & 'Tutu' this afternoon ...
well done - it was  a great Jazzer
This really is relaxing late late night music, wonderful, thanks rp
always strikes a mood. perfection. 
 haresfur wrote:
In its own quiet way this rocked the world. Someday I really need to muster up the energy for the challenge of Bitches Brew.
 
Jazz purists (read snobs) hated Bitches Brew but it really is the album that blew the doors open on fusion.
I love it, but actually prefer its predecessor, In a Silent Way, which is a little more "restrained".  ; )
In its own quiet way this rocked the world. Someday I really need to muster up the energy for the challenge of Bitches Brew.
Each year more hooked on Miles....
It's funny, this makes me think of Dean Martin. When I think of Dean Martin, I think of Jerry Lewis, and when I think of them I think of a lot of fun bumbling around.
I guess that's what's happening here.
 haretic wrote:

Thank you, Stephen, for setting the scene. Makes me think of all those detective movies.I've enjoyed over the years! 
Shades of Nick Danger!

John Coltraine and Miles Davis together! WTF is the "11" button?

{#Bananapiano}
 
When I listen to a Trane album - I hear his genius - and then I want to hear Miles at the same time. I can't do one without the other it seems. 
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:
To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 

 
Agreed...and even without that great setting you described (and I'll take a Scotch, neat, instead of the bourbon) and even if one isn't a fan of jazz; how the hell can you not be at least slightly impressed by that AMAZING trumpet!?!  And with a dash of music theory knowledge, you hear just how stunning those improvisations are.  I say Long Live RP and BnR's eclectic music selections!!  

I do believe the album was released in 1957, with studio recordings in '55 and '56, just before Coltrane got hooked on the H and left a then sober Miles for T. Monk.  PEACE!!


 Stephen_Phillips wrote:
To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 

 
Thank you, Stephen, for setting the scene. Makes me think of all those detective movies.I've enjoyed over the years! 
Shades of Nick Danger!

John Coltraine and Miles Davis together! WTF is the "11" button?

{#Bananapiano}
To those who don't 'get it' look at the year of the album.

It was a very different time and for a start the pace and way of life was different from today. Secondly you have to imagine this as a soundtrack to a sleazy movie where a private detective is working in some crime ridden city in the USA (say Chicago, New York, Philadelphia - take your pick).

Picture this... its raining, the PD pulls the collar of his raincoat up, lights a cigarette and walks out into the city streets late at night. His clients are rich but dislikeable and uncaring, the subjects that are being investigated are pathetic and not much better that the clients.

"It is just a job" he tells anyone who asks what he does for a living, and when he gets back to his empty apartment on the 'wrong' side of the tracks he pours himself a bourbon and slumps into a chair, lonely and dishevelled.

This music is playing in the background...
 
 kingart wrote:
PauloCM
(Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil)
Posted: Aug 20, 2017 18:47
 

This is an exceptional piece! It is art in its most profound form and meaning!

hbs47
(SE England)
Posted: Jun 20, 2017 10:10
 

Yawn. Minus several hundred. Is it around midnight it finishes?


{#Fight}  Bipolar bipartisan binaural. 

Me = {#Sunny}

 me2
{#Sunny}


 treatment_bound wrote:
Nice change-up after that Depeche Mode debacle.  

Has anybody out there seen the new movie w/Don Cheadle as Miles and care to comment on it?

 
I haven't seen it even though I contributed to its Kickstarter. From what I heard it's mostly about his late 70s hiatus which wasn't a good point in his life. I'm pretty sure it's on Netflix. I think Don Cheadle really plays the trumpet in the movie. 
 hbs47 wrote:
Yawn. Minus several hundred. Is it around midnight it finishes?

 
I feel sorry for you.
PauloCM
(Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil)
Posted: Aug 20, 2017 18:47
 

This is an exceptional piece! It is art in its most profound form and meaning!

hbs47
(SE England)
Posted: Jun 20, 2017 10:10
 

Yawn. Minus several hundred. Is it around midnight it finishes?


{#Fight}  Bipolar bipartisan binaural. 

Me = {#Sunny}
This is an exceptional piece! It is art in its most profound form and meaning!
Yawn. Minus several hundred. Is it around midnight it finishes?
'Round Midnight - could a title positively be cooler?
Coltrane and Miles in the fifties. Everything they did still soundalike genius to me.
Classy. 
 
Awesome! I think anytime is the right time for this classic. 
"Don't like jazz" person or not, I don't see how anyone who calls him or her self a music lover doesn't recognize this as a great piece of music. It has stood the test of time for a reason.
One of my favorite standards by one of the 20th C. masters of the trumpet. Perfect on a Sunday night. Thank you, Bill G.!
highrate Props much deserved imo, not much of a jazz fan
Perfect.
Always loved this, as most of Miles' stellar, impeccable work... Also reminds me how sad I am that the bar called 'Round Midnight that was at 10th and Pearl in the early and mid-90s is no more, and now houses a lame video-game arcade & frat-party-type drunk-house...
This is one fo those rare times, when the song and album cover are the same.   
I heard it butchered by a trio of lounge lizards.........thanks for reminding me. But listening to this, it's all good again.
I don't think any jazz artist could do wrong on this classic.  See the movie starring Dexter Gordan. Brings it all home.
Nice change-up after that Depeche Mode debacle.  

Has anybody out there seen the new movie w/Don Cheadle as Miles and care to comment on it?
just sweet
 
Excellent!
i'll start it with a 9