Track Listing

1. 'Round Midnight
2. Berangere's Nightmare
3. Call Sheet Blues
4. What Is This Thing Called Love?
5. Tivoli
6. Society Red
7. As Time Goes By
8. It's Only a Paper Moon
9. 'Round Midnight

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #170744 in Music
• Brand: Dexter
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

From Jazziz
Bertrand Tavernier's Round Midnight is that rarity: one of a handful of films about jazz generally accepted as bearing some verisimilitude. Not the least reason for this is tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon's portrayal of Dale Turner, an American expatriate jazzman adrift in 1950s Paris. The script combines elements of Lester Young's life with the true story of Bud Powell and Francis Paudras' friendship. And if some of the dialogue is clichéd and leaden, the film, nevertheless, tells a bittersweet story of art and at least temporary redemption.

The music selected by Herbie Hancock successfully evokes the period, performed live by a crack band that includes John McLaughlin, Bobby Hutcherson, Pierre Michelot, and Billy Higgins. Dexter Gordon's performance as Turner, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, did not end with the script. His first musical performance, on "As Time Goes By," is slow, drowsy, and limited in range, but as the film progresses, Gordon's playing gains strength, pairing with Wayne Shorter on Powell's jaunty "Una Noche con Francis" and trading fiery licks with Freddie Hubbard in the film's climactic return to New York City. Two mesmerizing pieces not performed on-screen, Kenny Dorham's "Fair Weather" (sung with breathtaking fragility by Chet Baker) and Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks," are woven throughout the film, adding immeasurably to the melancholy cinematography.

Long before it became de rigeur to release multiple soundtracks for a single film, Columbia allowed Blue Note to release The Other Side of Round Midnight under Gordon's name. The additional album offers more music from the film, including Gordon's sole performance on soprano sax, "Tivoli" - incidentally the only track in the score not played by the same musicians seen in the film - and further outtakes that breathe the same heady atmosphere.

--- Steve Smith, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Better than it ought to be!
This album was recorded as the soundtrack for the film "Round Midnight",which featured Dexter Gordon.However Bernard Tavernier, the director of the film had the foresight to bring in Herbie Hancock as MD, and allowed Gordon a great deal of input into the whole production process, as well as hiring some excellent sidesmen familiar with Dexter's work for the project.The recordings were done mainly at Studios Davout in Paris, with some other work undertaken at Studio Clair,and everybody concerned seemed to have enjoyed the mellow and relaxed atmosphere which is certainly reflected in the quality of the recording. Standouts for me are "Society Red" with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and "As time goes by" with John McLaughlin on guitar. However there are a couple of tunes which Dexter didn't play on which are also good; a great version of "It's only a paper moon" and "Call sheet blues" which appears to have been recorded spontaneously outside the film sountrack, and which features Wayne Shorter on Tenor Saxophone. Not absolutely essential Dexter, but a must have for anyone who has seen and enjoyed the film from whence it came.

music lover
if you own the 'round midnight' soundtrack, this is a must have.
otherwise, it's like peanut butter, no jelly. or a BLT with no B.
or turkey, no dressing. or ham, no eggs. ribs, no potato salad.
oreo with no middle.