Miles Davis's essential soundtrack to the Louis Malle French New Wave classic, providing what is arguably the definitive sound of film noir.
"Miles Davis' Ascenseur pour l'échafaud - Elevator to the Gallows - is without a doubt a landmark in the trumpeter's discography but also in the history of soundtracks. The themes improvised during the legendary recording session made in Paris have now become standards in jazz and keep on fascinating new generations of listeners. Ascenseur pour l'échafaud was recorded at Le Poste Parisien Studio in Paris on December 4 and 5, 1957. The album features the musical cues for the 1958 Louis Malle film Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. Davis was booked to perform at the Club Saint-Germain in Paris for November 1957. On December 4, he brought his four sidemen to the recording studio without having had them prepare anything. Davis only gave the musicians a few rudimentary harmonic sequences he had assembled in his hotel room, and, once the plot was explained, the band improvised without any precomposed theme, while edited loops of the musically relevant film sequences were projected in the background."
This limited set consists of three 10's: the original album, and all outtakes from the improvised sessions on December 4th and 5th of 1957. Mega rare these days.