Ascenseur pour l’échafaud

In 1957, Miles Davis is in Paris for an engagement at the ‘Club Saint-Germain’ and a wonderful concert at the Olympia Theatre. Once in Paris, Miles came into contact with many members of the modern existentialist cultural environment in the neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Près. These include the director Louis Malle who had just finished his first movie : ‘Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud’. Jean-Paul Rappeneau, a Jazz fan and Louis Malle’s assistant at the time, suggested asking Miles Davis to create the film’s soundtrack. A private sceening has been organized.

In 1957, Miles Davis is in Paris for an engagement at the ‘Club Saint-Germain’ and a wonderful concert at the Olympia Theatre. Once in Paris, Miles came into contact with many members of the modern existentialist cultural environment in the neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Près. These include the director Louis Malle who had just finished his first movie : ‘Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud’. Jean-Paul Rappeneau, a Jazz fan and Louis Malle’s assistant at the time, suggested asking Miles Davis to create the film’s soundtrack. A private sceening has been organized.

On December 4 1957, Miles Davis brought three French Jazzmen – Barney Wilen on tenor saxophone, René Urtreger on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass and his american compatriot Kenny Clarke on drums – to the recording studio ‘Le Poste Parisien’ without having them prepare anything. Miles Davis only gave the musicians a few rudimentary harmonic sequences he had assembled in his hotel room. This recordings was made at night in a most informal atmosphere.

The soundtrack was not released on it’s own in the USA but ten songs from this soundtrack was released as one side of the album Jazz Track which received a 1960 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Performance, Solo or Small Group.

‘Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud’ has become a great achievement of artistic excellence.

Recorded in Paris, December 4, 1957.
Original LP 10-inch issue: Fontana 660.213 MR.

Miles Davis (Trumpet)
René Urtreger (Piano)
Barney Wilen (Tenor Saxophone)
Pierre Michelot (Bass)
Kenny Clarke (Drums)

Re-mastered from the original master tapes with the echo effects.
Cut by Ray Staff at Air Mastering Studio in London.
Limited edition 1000 copies.
Vinyl pressed by Pallas in Germany.
10-inch – Facsimile reissue using the original cover art with OBI.
Double insert using an original photo by Gérad Landau/INA from 1957.
Each record has been visually checked to prevent defects.

More info at: Sam Records