Miles Davis - In Concert at the Olympia, Paris 1957

2023 release

Miles Davis (tp), Barney Wilen (ts), René Urtreger (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Kenny Clarke (d)

The recording of this historic concert is presented in its entirety for the first time in this edition. The remastered original tapes have been used to produce this CD, ensuring excellent sound quality.

With little publicity and only one star arrived from America, Miles Davis, Bruno Coquatrix, owner and manager of the Olympia, accomplished an impressive feat by presenting a sold-out concert on Saturday, November 30, 1957, at 6 p.m. André Hodeir in Jazz Hot had written, "This concert by Miles Davis was one of the most beautiful jazz concerts we have ever heard in Paris. Brilliantly supported by Kenny Clarke, René Urtreger, Pierre Michelot, and Barney Wilen, the great trumpeter gave the best of himself in many passages."

The producer and owner of this recording was the late jazz promoter Marcel Romano, who brought Miles Davis to Paris. After more than 60 years in storage, Romano’s nephew and heir discovered the tapes and sold them to Fresh Sound Records for a commercial release.

The music on this album is a magnificent testament to Miles Davis’ engaging and captivating style, showcasing his unrivaled ability to push his peers beyond their limits and share his boundless creativity and inspiration with them, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts and minds.

—Jordi Pujol

Tracks:

01. Solar (Miles Davis) 7:24
02. Four (Miles Davis) 6:27
03. What's New? (Haggart-Burke) 3:26
04. No Moe (Sonny Rollins) 8:11
05. Lady Bird (Tadd Dameron) 7:25
06. Tune Up (Miles Davis) 4:44
07. I’ll Remember April (De Paul-Raye-Johnson) 6:29
08. Bag's Groove (Milt Jackson) 7:29
09. 'Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) 5:11
10. Now's The Time (Charlie Parker) 6:28
11. Walkin' (Richard Carpenter) 7:18
12. The Theme (Miles Davis) 2:21