Miles - Ascenseur pour l'échafaud

[Aggie87]

I just recently picked this disc up while in Belgium (along with Got a Good Thing Goin' and a few other things). The version I have is the Jazz in Paris disc, which is a 24-bit remaster from 2000.

I just noticed however that the JIP release contains only the original 10 tracks, while the Fontana release includes an additional 16 alternate takes, or something.Is there a significant sound difference in these two? I'm assuming the JIP version probably sounds better, but the Fontana gives you more music.

Does the extra music on the Fontana release make it worth picking up?

[jazzbo]

Hey, nice "avatar"---resembles an Austinite with a Blue Note appetite, Omar! But I guess it's Joe Lovano!

I have had the Fontana in an early European release, and recently bought a Japanese Fontana reissue in lp facimile. The sound on the Japanese is better than the Jazz in Paris---I was very surprised to hear this actually. AND I like the additional music very much. There are pieces that are not represented in the original soundtrack, and the material that is in the original is presented on the Fontana without the echo, and it's interesting to hear how the echo changes the feel of the pieces. In short, I think if you saw the Japanese Fontana and grabbed it you would dig it!

Edited April 9, 2003 by jazzbo

[Rooster_Ties]

The release with all the extra tracks (that are without the echo) is way more significant. Haven't heard the shorter one, with supposedly improved sound - but I can't imagine the improvement being so great as to overweigh the significance of the extra material - and particularly how it's presended (without the echo).

Not sure which I prefer (echo vs. no echo), but it's good to be able to hear both.

Edited April 9, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[JohnS]

I'm happy with the Fontana issue. The de-echoed alternates are worth having. For those of us who have lived with and loved the original the inclusion of the lp tracks in original form is a nice touch. I'd go for the complete on Fontana.

[Rooster_Ties]

As a side note, haven't I seen the title of this movie frequently translated into English a couple different ways??

My memory tells me "Lift to the Scaffold", or something like that - but I vaguely remember some other "English" title floating around often, as well.

Heck, I probably don't even have "Lift to the Scaffold" right, and lord knows I don't a word of French besides a few cuss words!!!

PS: Maybe "Elevator to the Gallows"?? or something like that??

Edited April 9, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Peter Johnson]

Close..."lift" if used in the British english sense. Could be "Elevator to the Scaffold" or "Elevator to the Gallows."

[Lee Farley]

The original American LP release of this material (ten tracks) is side one of the album “Jazz Track” (Columbia CL1268). On the back cover, the film’s title is translated as “Elevator to the Scaffold.”

Side two, by the way, is the Coltrane, Adderley, Evans edition of Mile’s sextet playing “On Green Dolphin Street,” “Put Your Little Foot Right Out,” and Stella by Starlight.”

Lee Farley

[Guest Mnytime]

I have the Japanese Fontana and it comes with 16 tracks. The 10 original and 6 alt takes. It's part of the Immortal Jazz on Mercury series and is 24 bit and came out in 2002. I picked it up from Dusty Groove.

[Claude]

Translation of "Ascenseur pour l'échafaud":

The US titles for the movie have been "Elevator to the Gallows" (video release) and "Frantic" (cinema), while the UK title was "Lift to the scaffold"

Allmovie link

BBC link

Milestones link

[Rooster_Ties]

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about the "Frantic" title, but now that you mention it - that does kinda ring a bell.

I used to be far more deeply ensconced (maybe a better word these days would be "embedded") in Miles music, about 10 years ago, but I've forgotten lots of the details since I backed off from my focus on Miles.

[Dmitry]

What did I get last week for $17 at Virgin?

Fontana 836 305-2

Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud Complete Recordings - 26 tracks.

Is this the latest remaster ?

[jazzbo]

Hmmm not sure what that one is. I have UCCM-9065 from Japan, I think 2002. Packaging is as an lp facimile of a 16 track lp, second side was six unissued tracks. The cd however is 26 track long.

[Dmitry]

Actually, it was $19 and the sticker on the wrapper says "Contains 20 minutes of unissued Miles".

I think it's got to be the standard Fontana issue. I wonder if the Japanese one sounds better. But as it stands there's not much to complain about, liner notes, photos and all.

Quite good sound on this cd, beats my cassette copy many-fold.

A Miles fan must-have! Nothing like it in his oevre.

BTW, dig the avatar, Lon. I got the vinyl. Sun Ra on roksichord!

[jazzbo]

I had that Fontanna original cd and played it to death; it's great, I love the whole thing.

The one I have does sound better, so keep an eye out!

Yeah, I've been digging a lot of Sun Ra lately . . . I'm getting into the seventies material more than I had before, though I still dig the Chicago and early NYC period the most. But . . . as these things go in my listening history, that could change!

[Shrdlu]

There is no mystery about the French words. An "ascenseur" is an elevator (lift in the U.K. of course), and, in the movie, the killer gets stuck in an elevator because the power is shut off. "échafaud" means scaffold, or, gallows. Of course, the means of execution in France was the guillotine.

It was amusing that, in Australia, an LP called "Jazz Track" was put out, consisting of the "Green Dolphin Street" session (but not "Love For Sale") and, on the other side, three tracks from the "Milestones" album, and NO tracks at all from the movie! I was not aware of existence of the movie tracks at the time (late 50s or early 60s) and the LP title, though ridiculous now, actually seemed to fit! Tracks of music by a superb jazz group.

[Claude]

I just bought the latest reissue of this album (complete edition, 26 tracks) by Universal France (981 574 5, digipack).

The booklet says:

Remastered for reissue at Art et Son, Paris by Alexis Frenkel. We did a conversion from analog into digital with the tapes, using 96kHz equipment. There was no real remastering like improvement or restoration of sound. The sound heard on the tape is as close as possible to the original

I have no idea what that last sentense means, but the new reissue sounds brighter than the japanese reissue I've got (PHCE-4181, from 1997 or 1999), but not better. It's a matter of taste which one to prefer. I don't have the 1988 CD to compare it to.

[king ubu]

That movie was a hoot, by the way, a weak contrast to BREATHLESS, but I've never heard the music echo-less. It is so haunting that I find it hard to imagine...

Now wait a minute!

First, you cannot forget that Malle's film is from 1957 - pre nouvelle vague, actually - while Godard's from 1959 or even 1960.

Second: nothing compares to "A bout de souffle".

Third: "Ascenseur pour l'echafaud" is sort of a french late-noir. The film is beautifully crafted, very very stylish, images/frames lovingly assembled - which is definitively not the case with "A bout de souffle", a film paced much faster, generally more on the lighter side (not in the end, but till you get there), fast and "breathless", indeed.

End of rant -_-

Regarding the soundtrack: I got the old Fontana CD, never updated so far. I really like the alternates, and the possibility to compare the echo-less originals with the actual soundtrack.

On the alternates, there are a couple of precious early Barney solo spots, while on the soundtrack he is rarely heard in solo.

ubu

[Parkertown]

Where can one find the echo-less 26 track Japanese cd with the best sound?

Catalog number?

Much thanks...

[jazzbo]

Scott, I suggest you get on the email list for Dusty Groove's upcoming (so they say) supply:

1. Miles Davis -- Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (limited Japanese paper sleeve) . . . CD . . .

Upcoming Release: Late February, 2004 (This item is not in stock yet. Fill in your email address and hit the 'Send Request' button to receive an email notice when the item arrives.)

Email address:

One of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums -- and a stunning soundtrack that began a rich legacy of jazz scores in France! Miles recorded this material during late-night post-gig sessions with a great group that includes French players Barney Wilen, Rene Urtreger, and Pierre Michelot, plus American ex-patriot Kenny Clarke. Wilen's playing is fantastic, and it's great to hear him and Miles together on the score's spooky meandering passages. The CD reproduces the original black and white cover image -- and features a 16 track lineup of the material, with 6 bonus tracks not on the original album. Titles include "Florence Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "L'Assassinat De Carla", "Diner Au Motel", "Evasion De Julien", and "Sur L'Autoroute". (In a limited edition 5" paper sleeve!)

[Man with the Golden Arm]

great to see this one up and coming. i had written hiroshi about this japanese version a long while back, the one that Lon has, and was told that it was part of a special universal anniversary release program that disappeared very, very quickly due to the fact that very few were even produced. it seems that this one is the only one aside from the late eighties fontana that issues the entire works.

[Parkertown]

Thanks Lon! I mean jazzbo. I mean Pops Fan!

[jazzbo]

You're welcome. Spin those Una Mae cds!

[Man with the Golden Arm]

A word of warning regarding the newest release of this disc from Japan.

I recently received this title and was very excited to get a nice version to replace the old Fontana from 1988. The new 24-bit Universal Japan release has a code of 'UCCU 9512 / Jazz the Best'. It contains all twenty six tracks although the listing on the cover lists only sixteen as it is a facsimile from a Fontana LP.

The Obi strip reads: "RUBIDIUM: Atomic Clock CD Cutting".

Well here is the deal- You get a wondeful package that is heftier than most of these minis, the photographic representation is superb and a very nice Fontana styled gold disc. What you also get is a mechanical "whirling noise" that is at the beginnings and continues throughout all silent passages on each and every cut. The noise is completely "seperate", so to speak, from the actual music. Strange. This is not the echo or some other revelation in the music but a faulty mastering that should be steered clear of! It is obvious to me that it is not in the master tape or whatever they used for this re-issue but lies in the actual mastering of the disc itself.

If anyone knows of this atomic clock cutting procedure and can enlighten please do. Until then stick with the original silver.

[korowa]

Hi,

I've just ordered the SHM version from Japan (UCCU-9457), to be released on the 28th of May.

The high quality SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing, SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc, allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

Lets hope it doesn't have the mechanical '"whirling noise;" I'll report back after I listen to it.

Edited April 13, 2008 by korowa

[Claude]

I've read about other SHM CDs that they use existing mastering already released before.

I haven't heard any of those SHM CDs, but I can't believe the manufacturing process has any incidence on the sound quality. If it had, CD-R copies would have to sound worse than the original manufactured CDs, but that's not the case in my experience.