1957-10-21
Miles Ahead
Miles Davis + 19
By Maeve C.
Gil Evans arranged and conducted a large ensemble of brass and woodwinds for Miles Ahead, his first collaboration with Miles Davis since the Birth of the Cool sessions of 1949 and 1950. The ten pieces were recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio in New York in May 1957 and are linked into suites, with Davis the only soloist, playing flugelhorn throughout.
“Springsville” opens the sequence, and Evans’s own “Blues for Pablo” sits on the second side. The repertoire also takes in Kurt Weill’s “My Ship” and Dave Brubeck’s “The Duke”. George Avakian produced the album, which was later retitled Miles Davis + 19 after Davis objected to its original cover.
Sources
Official Miles Davis site: release date Oct 21, 1957, Columbia; Gil Evans arranger/conductor; Davis on flugelhorn as only soloist; producers George Avakian and Cal Lampley; retitled Miles Davis+19 after Davis objected to the cover.Corroborates release October 21, 1957 (mono), citing milesdavis.com and The Cash Box; “Davis’ first collaboration with arranger Gil Evans since the 1949-50 Birth of the Cool sessions”; sixteen woodwind and brass players; pieces form two suites; recorded May 1957 (overdubs August) at Columbia 30th Street Studio; composers incl. Weill (My Ship), Brubeck (The Duke), Evans (Blues for Pablo); producer George Avakian.
Discogs master identity only; not date proof.