Quiet Nights (Miles Davis and Gil Evans album)

1963 studio album by Miles Davis/Gil Evans

Quiet Nights

Studio album by

Miles Davis/Gil Evans

Released| December 16, 1963[1]
Recorded| July 27–November 6, 1962

April 17, 1963 (Quintet)

October 9–10, 1963 (1997 bonus track)
Studio|

* Columbia 30th Street (New York City)
* Columbia (Hollywood)

Genre| Jazz, third stream, bossa nova
Length| 26:57
Label| Columbia CL 2106 [mono], CS 8906
Producer| Teo Macero; Irving Townsend (1963)
Miles Davis/Gil Evans chronology
| Seven Steps to Heaven
(1963)  | Quiet Nights
(1963)  | Miles & Monk at Newport
(1964)

|
|

Quiet Nights is a studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis, and his fourth album collaboration with Gil Evans, released in 1963 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 2106 and CS 8906 in stereo. Recorded mostly at Columbia's 30th Street Studios in Manhattan, it is the final album by Davis and Evans.

## Background[edit]

Keeping to his standard procedure at Columbia to date of alternating small group records and big band studio projects with Gil Evans, Davis entered the studio with Evans to follow up the latest studio LP by the working quintet, Someday My Prince Will Come.[2] In 1961, Davis had also released his first live albums, two independent LPs entitled Friday Night at the Blackhawk and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk, in addition to the studio set. Another live set from 1961, Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall, also with both the quintet and a large ensemble conducted by Evans was issued in 1962.[3]

The genesis of this Davis/Evans album, however, encountered far greater difficulties than its three predecessors. Bossa nova had recently become a commercial success in 1962 with the single "Desafinado" from the album Jazz Samba by Stan Getz, and Columbia executives may have pressured Davis and Evans to attempt something similar with this album.[4] Sessions were also protracted over long stretches of time.

## Recording[edit]

Two songs were recorded at the first session in July, "Corcovado" and "Aos Pés da Cruz" (the first refers to a famous sight in Brazil and the second means 'At the Foot of the Cross' in Portuguese), and released as Columbia singles 4-33059 and 4-4-42583; neither charted.[5] The pair returned to longer forms for the subsequent sessions, Evans perhaps not given enough time to finish the charts for the earlier session.[6] The attempt to mix potential hit singles and Evans' writing style for Davis, essentially concertos for jazz trumpeter, may have torpedoed the project.

After three sessions spread over four months, the yield was approximately 20 minutes of usable music, enough for an album side but not an entire album. Evans and Davis never made it back into the studio to complete more recordings, and the project was shelved.[7] Faced with the expenses from the large ensemble and the studio time, producer Teo Macero added a quartet track from an April 1963 session in Hollywood to complete the album and give the label something to show for its investment, Quiet Nights, released two years after the start of recording.[8] Davis was furious at the release of what he viewed as an unfinished project, and did not work with Macero again until the October 1966 sessions for Miles Smiles.[8] The added tune, "Summer Night", was an outtake by Davis' group as recorded for the album Seven Steps to Heaven.

"Time of the Barracudas"—recorded in Hollywood on October 9 and 10, 1963—was written as a commission from Peter Barnes to accompany a production of his play of the same name starring Laurence Harvey and Elaine Stritch. It is unknown whether the music was actually used for its intended purpose. The song was included as a bonus track when the album was reissued on CD by Legacy Records on September 23, 1997.[9]

## Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [10]
Down Beat| [11]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [13]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings|  [14]

In a contemporary review for Down Beat, Leonard Feather called Quiet Nights a "curious and not entirely satisfying album". He felt "Song No. 2" ended prematurely while the long-meter arrangement of "Wait Till You See Her" sounded unusual, but found "Once Upon a Summertime" to be brilliantly recorded and "Summer Night" highlighted by Davis and Feldman's "consistent level of lyrical beauty".[11] In the Saturday Review, Quiet Nights received praise for Davis' "wonderfully songful trumpet in a Latin-American vein", set against "piercingly lustrous curtains of tone and discreet Caribbean rhythms".[15] Loren Schoenberg later called it "a slightly flawed but worthy companion" to other classic Davis-Evans recordings.[16] J. D. Considine was less receptive in The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992), dismissing the record as "halfhearted" bossa nova atypical from their otherwise exceptional work together.[13]

## Track listing[edit]

Side oneNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Song No. 2 (a.k.a. Prenda Minha, Brazilian folk song)"| traditional, Gil Evans, Miles Davis| 1:40
2.| "Once Upon a Summertime"| Johnny Mercer, Michel Legrand
Eddie Barclay, Eddy Marnay| 3:27
3.| "Aos Pés da Cruz"| Marino Pinto, José Gonçalves| 4:18
4.| "Song No. 1 (a.k.a. Adelita)"| Francisco Tárrega, Gil Evans, Miles Davis| 4:37

Side twoNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Wait Till You See Her"| Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart| 4:06
2.| "Corcovado"| Antônio Carlos Jobim| 2:45
3.| "Summer Night"| Harry Warren, Al Dubin| 6:04

* Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–7 on CD reissues.

1997 reissue bonus trackNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

8.| "The Time of the Barracudas"| Gil Evans, Miles Davis| 12:45

## Personnel[edit]

* Miles Davis – trumpet
* Gil Evans – arranger, conductor
* Shorty Baker, Bernie Glow, Louis Mucci, Ernie Royal – trumpets
* J.J. Johnson, Frank Rehak – trombones
* Ray Alonge, Don Corrado, Julius Watkins – french horns
* Bill Barber – tuba
* Steve Lacy – soprano saxophone
* Albert Block – flute
* Ray Beckenstein, Jerome Richardson – woodwinds
* Garvin Bushell, Bob Tricarico – bassoons
* Janet Putnam – harp
* Paul Chambers – bass
* Jimmy Cobb – drums
* Willie Bobo – bongos
* Elvin Jones – percussion

Miles Davis Quintet on "Summer Night" only

* Miles Davis – trumpet
* George Coleman – tenor saxophone
* Victor Feldman – piano
* Ron Carter – bass
* Frank Butler – drums

Orchestra on 1997 bonus track "Time of the Barracudas"

* Miles Davis – trumpet
* Gil Evans – arranger, conductor
* Dick Lieb – bass trombone
* Bill Hinshaw, Art Maeba, Richard Perissi – french horns
* Gene Cipriano, Buddy Collette, Paul Horn – woodwinds
* Fred Dutton – bassoon
* Marjorie Call – harp
* Herbie Hancock – piano
* Ron Carter – bass
* Tony Williams – drums

Production

* Teo Macero – producer
* Irving Townsend – producer on "Time of the Barracudas"
* Fred Plaut – engineer
* Bob Belden – reissue producer and liner notes
* Phil Schaap, Mark Wilder – digital remastering engineer
* Seth Rothstein – reissue project coordinator
* Howard Fritzson – reissue art direction
* Dan Hunstein – photography

## See also[edit]

* jazz portal

* 1960s in jazz
* Orchestral jazz

## References[edit]

1. ^ Miles Davis.com
2. ^ Richard Cook. It's About That Time: Miles Davis On and Off Record. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0-19-532266-8, p. 123
3. ^ Cook, pp. 139–140
4. ^ Bob Belden. Quiet Nights. Columbia/Legacy CK 65293, 1997, liner notes p. 15.
5. ^ Belden, liner notes p. 16.
6. ^ Belden, liner notes, p. 16.
7. ^ Belden, liner notes, p. 18.
8. ^ a b Cook, p. 141.
9. ^ Belden, liner notes p. 19.
10. ^ Quiet Nights at AllMusic
11. ^ a b Alkyer, Frank; Enright, Ed; Koransky, Jason, eds. (2007). The Miles Davis Reader. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 232. ISBN 978-1423430766.
12. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Miles Davis". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0857125958.
13. ^ a b Considine, J. D. (1992). "Miles Davis". In DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. pp. 179, 181. ISBN 0-679-73729-4.
14. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 345\. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
15. ^ "The Other Side". Saturday Review: 60. 1964.
16. ^ Schoenberg, Loren (1996). "The Meeting of Minds in a Legendary Union". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2016.

## External links[edit]

* Quiet Nights at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Miles Davis

Discography

Studio albums|

| Prestige era|

* The New Sounds
* Young Man with a Horn
* Blue Period
* The Compositions of Al Cohn
* Miles Davis Volume 2
* Miles Davis, Volume 3
* Miles Davis Quartet
* Miles Davis All Star Sextet
* Miles Davis Quintet
* Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins
* Miles Davis All Stars, Volume 1
* Miles Davis All Stars, Volume 2
* The Musings of Miles
* Blue Moods
* Dig
* Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet
* Quintet/Sextet
* Collectors' Items
* Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
* Bags' Groove
* Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
* Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants
* Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
* Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

|

Columbia era|

* 'Round About Midnight
* Miles Ahead
* Milestones
* Porgy and Bess
* Kind of Blue
* Jazz Track
* Sketches of Spain
* Someday My Prince Will Come
* Seven Steps to Heaven
* Quiet Nights
* E.S.P.
* Miles Smiles
* Sorcerer
* Nefertiti
* Miles in the Sky
* Filles de Kilimanjaro
* In a Silent Way
* Bitches Brew
* Jack Johnson
* Live-Evil
* On the Corner
* The Man with the Horn
* Star People
* Decoy
* You're Under Arrest
* Aura

Warner Bros. era|

* Tutu
* Amandla
* Doo-Bop
* Rubberband

Soundtracks|

* Ascenseur pour l'échafaud
* Jack Johnson
* Music from Siesta
* The Hot Spot
* Dingo

Live
recordings|

* Birdland 1951
* Miles Davis at Newport 1955–1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4
* Miles & Coltrane
* Miles Davis Quintet at Peacock Alley
* Amsterdam Concert
* At Newport 1958
* Miles & Monk at Newport
* Jazz at the Plaza Vol. I
* Miles Davis & John Coltrane The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6
* In Person: At the Blackhawk, San Francisco
* Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall
* Miles Davis in Europe
* Live at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival
* My Funny Valentine
* Four & More
* Miles in Tokyo
* Miles in Berlin
* The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
* Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1
* 1969 Miles – Festiva De Juan Pins
* Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2
* Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About that Time
* Bitches Brew Live
* Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West
* Miles Davis at Fillmore
* Miles at the Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3
* The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
* Live-Evil
* In Concert
* Dark Magus
* Agharta
* Pangaea
* Miles! Miles! Miles!
* We Want Miles
* Live Around the World
* Merci Miles! Live at Vienne
* Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux

Compilations|

* Miles Davis and Horns
* Blue Haze
* Birth of the Cool
* Walkin'
* Miles Davis Volume 1
* Miles Davis Volume 2
* Miles Davis' Greatest Hits
* Basic Miles: The Classic Performances of Miles Davis
* Big Fun
* Get Up with It
* Water Babies
* Circle in the Round
* 1958 Miles
* Directions
* The Columbia Years 1955–1985
* Love Songs
* Super Hits
* The Essential Miles Davis
* Miles Davis Quintet: Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5

Box sets|

* The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane
* Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings
* Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964
* The Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968
* The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions
* The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions
* The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
* The Complete On the Corner Sessions
* In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete
* The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
* The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux
* The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
* Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection
* The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions
* Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings 1951–1956

Remix albums|

* Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974
* Panthalassa: The Remixes
* Evolution of the Groove

Compositions|

* "All Blues"
* "Blue in Green"
* "Boplicity"
* "Dig"
* "Donna Lee"
* "Four"
* "Flamenco Sketches"
* "Freddie Freeloader"
* "Milestones"
* "Nardis"
* "Seven Steps to Heaven"
* "So What"

Related articles|

* Miles Dewey Davis Jr. (father)
* Miles Davis Quintet
* Miles: The Autobiography
* Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux DVD Collection
* That's What Happened: Live in Germany 1987
* Live in Munich (1988)
* Miles from India
* A Different Kind of Blue (2004 documentary)
* Miles Ahead (2015 movie)

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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