“Porgy and Bess” was the second album collaboration between trumpeter Miles Davis and composer/arranger Gil Evans. The record was made in four sessions during the summer of 1958 at the Columbia Records 30th Street Studios in New York City. The fourth and final session took place on August 18th, 68 years ago today.

After the success of the first Davis/Evans project “Miles Ahead” the previous year, Columbia was keen to follow up with a second record by the two. With an upcoming movie version of “Porgy and Bess” scheduled for 1959, and the fact that Davis’ girlfriend was appearing on stage in a production of same, the Gershwin score was chosen as the source material for their interpretation. Davis and Evans made use of their continuing experimentation with modal improvisation ideas in the writing for the album. Along with the cream of the crop of New York studio musicians the ensemble included members Cannonball Adderley, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb from Miles’ regular group.

Upon its release, the album received widespread critical acclaim and has continued to be an influential recording in the years that have followed. It remains one of Miles Davis’s best-selling and most popular albums and has been recognized as a “landmark in orchestral jazz.” The magazine Jazz Times has called the record “possibly the best of the collaborations between Miles Davis and Gil Evans…”

Here is a link to Summertime from the Miles Davis/Gil Evans recording of “Porgy and Bess:”

"SUMMERTIME"