In my quest to build my vinyl collection, I am doing quite a bit of research on the internet and talking to folks about their love of music. Music is definitely something that brings us all together and can put a smile on someone’s face, not matter what the situation. While away this weekend, I talked to one of my Uncles about jazz, his favorites and what his experience was like buying music back in the day and making a trip with his youngest son to the record store here in Atlanta, you should have seen his face! It lit up like the sun on a clear spring day, it was absolutely beautiful. Just that morning, I ordered a couple of albums. Full disclaimer, I love my local record stores and support them 1000%, but in this case, I was feigning and Amazon had something that I had not been able to find locally, DON’T JUDGE ME! My gift of Prime, was at my door this afternoon. I had never heard of the album that I received by one of my favorites, Miles Davis. The album is the soundtrack for a movie called Ascenseur pour l’echafaud (“Lift to the Scaffold”) which was released in the US as “Frantic”. The soundtrack was recorded in Paris, in December of 1957.
So here’s the thing, the tracks are short! It completely caught me off guard, until I put it all together. When this soundtrack was recorded, Miles was given leeway that not many other musicians were given at the time. He and the other musicians sat in a studio and watched the film and improvised as the scenes played out. How crazy is that!!!! It just goes to show how talented Miles and the other musicians were. They just watched and played what they saw. There are a couple of tracks that I wish could have gone on for hours. When you listen to a track and it captures you within the first 10 seconds and you are mad when it’s over after just 2 minutes, you know you are listening to something pretty special. Some of the tracks are dark and melodic while others are quick tempo and a little lighter, but not so light that you lose the mood of the album and what I can only imagine to be, the film. It is an absolute joy to surround myself with this album.
But that is not it!!! I was surprised to find three tracks on Side B. WOOWWW – Okay, so I am too excited, the musicians on Side B – Julian “Cannonball” Adderley (Alto Sax), John Coltrane (Tenor Sax), Bill Evans (Piano), Paul Chambers (Bass), Jimmy Cobb (Drums) and Miles Davis (Trumpet). You wanna talk about it!! I can’t!! I have no words, to do it justice. Seriously, I am leaving it here.
Now you know I had to try and pair this album with some wine. As I listened to it for the first time I kept going to dark, suspenseful, melodic and full. I checked my wine fridge and there it was, a 2014 Zinfandel from Bodkin. This wine is lush, full of dark fruit and beautiful tannins. It has juicy, ripe fruit on the front and snatches you with these amazing tannins then lingers on your palate like that lover that hangs around because the “goods” are unlike anything you have experienced. I could see myself in an apartment in Paris on a rainy night, with my silk robe and cashmere blanket, hair coifed, deep lipstick perfectly placed, drinking this Bodkin Zinfandel, while Miles serenades me as I wait on my “hang around lover”, because he is always late, but right on time.
Cheers!
https://www.bodkinwines.com/product-page/zinfandel-the-hill-and-the-vale
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