“Four” is a 1954 jazz standard. It was first recorded in 1954 by Miles Davis and released on his album Miles Davis Quartet. It is a 32-bar ABAC form
The song composition officially credits Miles Davis as the writer. However, there is some controversy that the real author may be another jazz musician. The American jazz saxophonist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson has claimed ownership for the song although it was originally credited to jazz trumpeter Miles Davis
Personnel
- Miles Davis – trumpet
- Horace Silver – piano
- Percy Heath – double bass
- Art Blakey – drums
Recordings
The following artists have covered this composition.
- Miles Davis – Miles Davis Quartet (1954)
- Stan Getz – West Coast Jazz (1955)
- Miles Davis – Workin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
- Gene Ammons – Jammin’ in Hi Fi with Gene Ammons (1957)
- Anita O’Day – Anita O’Day Sings the Winners (1958)
- Phineas Newborn – The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn Jr. (1962)
- Sonny Rollins – Sonny Rollins & Co 1964 (1964)
- Joe Henderson – Four (1968)
- Harry Sweets Edison – Just Friends: Live at Bubba’s Jazz Restaurant (1981)
- Chet Baker – Chet Baker in Tokyo (1987)
- Sam Jones – Right Down Front: The Riverside Collection (1988)
- Mulgrew Miller – From Day to Day (1990)[6]
- Madeline Eastman – Mad About Madeline! (1991)
- Ron Affif – Vierd Blues (1993)[7]
- Guy Barker – The Talented Mr Ripley – OST (with Pete King, Iain Dixon, Robin
- Aspland, Arne Somogyi and Clark Tracey) (1999)
- Anita O’Day – Complete Anita O’Day Clef/Verve Sessions (2000)
Keith Jarrett – My Foolish Heart (2007)
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross – Voices in Modern (2011)
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross use Davis’s solo on their 1958 album “The Swingers” which caused some conflict between Hendricks and Davis
Original LP Track listing
Side 1
1. “So What” (Miles Davis) – 9:10
2. “Walkin'” (Richard Henry Carpenter) – 8:06
3. “Joshua/Go-Go (Theme and Announcement)” (Victor Feldman) – 11:14
Side 2
1. “Four” (Davis) – 6:18
2. “Seven Steps to Heaven” (Feldman, Davis) – 7:51
3. “There Is No Greater Love/Go-Go (Theme and Announcement)” (Marty Symes, Isham Jones) – 11:23
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