Porgy & Bess
Take George Gershwin'sPorgy & Bess, add Miles Davis and arranger  Gil Evans, and what do you get? A classic jazz album that--despite the fact that  the material has been rendered almost overly familiar due to countless  interpretations--still sounds remarkably fresh four decades after its  initial release. Miles' soft yet piercing trumpet style is perfectly suited to  Gershwin's melancholy melodies, Evans' musical direction of his 18-piece  orchestra is impeccable, and their version of "Summertime" may well be the  finest ever waxed. Davis and Evans teamed up for several recordings after this  one (including the landmarkSketches of Spain), butPorgy & Bessstill  stands as one of their most successful collaborations.--Dan Epstein