Although
Miles Davis did not live to participate in
Gerry Mulligan's reunion recordings featuring the nonet that played on the famous late-'40s and early-'50s cool sessions, he participated in a reunion concert held at Montreux in 1991. This featured both the
Gil Evans Orchestra and
George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, plus additional guests
Benny Bailey,
Grady Tate,
Carlos Benavent and various European players teaming with a gravely ill
Davis to perform
Gil Evans' marvelous arrangements.
Quincy Jones conducted and conceived the idea of using two orchestras, offering majestic surroundings for the solos of
Davis, fellow trumpeter
Wallace Roney and alto saxophonist
Kenny Garrett. Not every moment is golden, but the overall session ranks just a bit below the majestic '50s and '60s dates featuring
Davis' trumpet and
Evans' arrangements. ~ Ron Wynn