Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (soundtrack)

Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (soundtrack) is the original motion picture soundtrack to Louis Malle's 1958 French film Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (released in the UK and US as Elevator to the Gallows). The soundtrack was composed and performed by Miles Davis, featuring Barney Wilen, René Urtreger, Pierre Michelot, and Kenny Clarke.

Recorded in a single late-night session at Poste Parisien Studio in Paris on December 4 and 5, 1957, the score is largely improvised. Davis and his band watched projected scenes from the film and improvised their music in real time, capturing the mood and atmosphere of the film's narrative. The soundtrack is characterized by its cool jazz style, melancholic melodies, and minimalist instrumentation, reflecting the film's film noir atmosphere and themes of love, betrayal, and suspense.

The soundtrack is considered a landmark achievement in jazz film scores, highly influential for its innovative approach to combining jazz improvisation with cinematic storytelling. It departed from traditional orchestral film scores and helped to popularize jazz as a viable and expressive medium for film music. The soundtrack's success also significantly boosted Davis's career and cemented his reputation as a forward-thinking and experimental musician.

The album has been released numerous times in various formats. It remains a highly regarded and frequently reissued work within Davis's discography and continues to be celebrated for its artistic merit and historical significance.