The reissue of Miles Davis' 1957 soundtrack for Louis Malle's noir thriller Ascenseur pour l'Échafaud (Lift to the Scaffold) is a timelessly extraordinary experience. The music, mostly improvised over a single night in a Paris studio, still glows with sensuality, tension, and nocturnal beauty. This lavish reissue on vinyl and CD includes restored audio, beautiful photographs, and revealing essays.
A Unique Collaboration
Composed from little more than a handful of chords, Davis' soundtrack was created by playing along to the film as it was screened. His quartet, featuring expat New York bebop drummer Kenny Clarke, used harmonic openness to create a spacey, ethereal soundworld. This method foreshadowed his classic Kind of Blue from 1959.
Musical Highlights
The music mirrors the film's story of two lovers who think they have committed the perfect murder. Dreamily sensual sounds reflect misplaced hopes, while car-chase scurries showcase Davis' fast-bop virtuosity. Desolately bluesy accompaniments accompany actress Jeanne Moreau's confused wandering, and bar-room clamour emerges in the trumpet and tenor sax counterpoint between Davis and Barney Wilen. All of it stands alone without images, a quiet slow-burn simmering with Davis' timeless light and heat.
Other Recent Releases
Norwegian guitarist Hedvig Mollestad's power-trio Weejuns offers Bitches Blues, a nod to Davis' Bitches Brew. Jeff Parker's quartet presents Happy Today, emerging patiently from minimalism to captivating lyricism. Jason Miles, a former Davis keyboardist, revisits the groove-centric era with 100 Miles for Miles Davis, highlighting Davis' admiration for Prince.
