"Stella by Starlight" - Miles Davis at 1966 Newport Jazz Festival [YouTube Official Audio Stream]

Miles Davis is gone, but his music is continues to thrive through Columbia/Legacy Records' ongoing Bootleg Series. In its fourth installment, Miles Davis at Newport 1955 - 1975, the 4-disc set chronicles Davis's consistent relationship with George Wein's famous event, "in 1955, 1958, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, and 1975, in Newport, Rhode Island, New York City, Berlin, and Switzerland."

This version of "Stella by Starlight" was recorded when Davis played at the 1966 festival in Newport, Rhode Island with his second great quintet of Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter. It begins slow, similar to the original Victor Young composition, but soon picks up with Davis's trademark exploratory style. Music historian Ashley Kahn described the song to Rolling Stone as

a high-speed chase, discarding any notion of maintaining emotional consistency and reverence, or decorum. The closest they come to returning to the tune's original sentimental side is Herbie Hancock's solo, but even then Miles snatches it back to energy-mode, and quickly brings the tune to a close.

You can pick up Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 on Amazon (CD, MP3)

For more music and news about Miles Davis, check out his Zumic artist page.

Source: Miles Davis Vevo Official YouTube Channel
Via: Rolling Stone