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Miles Ahead session details

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October 11, 1960 (15 items; TT = 118:04)
Olympia Theatre, Paris (France)
Europe-1 radio broadcast (B+)

Miles Davis (tpt); Sonny Stitt (as, ts); Wynton Kelly (p); Paul Chambers (b); Jimmy Cobb (d)

First concert
1 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) 11:45
2 Autumn Leaves (J. Prevert-J. Mercer-J. Kosma) 13:10
3 Four (E. Vinson) 8:50
4 Unknown Title 5:04

Davis out; as he rejoins the group, Kelly quotes Rachmaninov's Prélude in c# minor
5 'Round Midnight (B. Hanighen-C. Williams-T. Monk) 5:41
6 No Blues (M. Davis) 14:32
7 The Theme (M. Davis) 0:45

Second concert
8 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) 9:34
9 If I Were a Bell (F. Loesser) 12:01
10 Fran Dance (M. Davis) 7:24
11 Two Bass Hit (J. Lewis-D. Gillespie) 5:31
12 The Theme (M. Davis) 0:18
13 All of You (C. Porter) 13:03
14 So What (M. Davis) 9:27
15 The Theme (M. Davis) 0:59


1 Walkin'
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

2 Autumn Leaves
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

3 Four
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

4 Unknown Title
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

5 'Round Midnight
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

6 No Blues
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

7 The Theme
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710578, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

8 Walkin'
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

9 If I Were a Bell
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

10 Fran Dance
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

11 Two Bass Hit
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

12 The Theme
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

13 All of You
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

14 So What
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451

15 The Theme
CD: Trema 710455/8, Trema 710579, Frémeaux & Associés FA 5451


Stitt plays alto saxophone on "'Round Midnight," "No Blues," and "The Theme" (first concert). He plays tenor on the remaining titles unless indicated otherwise.

The concerts were recorded by Europe-1 Radio; the Trema CDs bear the subtitle "En Concert avec Europe-1." I suspect that more music was performed than is listed here; it may be that the Quintet performed two sets in each concert as they did in Stockholm on October 13. That would account for the two instances of "The Theme" listed in the second concert. (The brief one following "Two Bass Hit" is not listed on either Trema release.) Brian Priestley recalls listening to the Europe-1 broadcast of this performance and hearing a rhythm-section-only version of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise." I have not been able to find any reviews that confirm these suspicions, but there is almost certainly more to be heard than what is listed above.

Sonny Stitt joined the Davis Quintet in June 1960, in time for a swing through the western U.S.: Los Angeles Jazz Festival (June 17); Blackhawk Supper Club (June 21-27); Sutherland Hotel Lounge, Chicago (July 9-17); Apollo Theatre, New York (July 22-31); Village Vanguard, New York (August 2-20); Randall's Island Jazz Festival (August 21); Minor Key, Detroit (September 6-11).

Norman Granz arranged for the Davis Quintet to tour Great Britain and a few continental venues in the fall of 1960. Surprisingly few recordings from this tour have surfaced. The itinerary was as follows:

September 24: Hammersmith Gaumont Theatre, London (two concerts)
September 25: Guildhall, Portsmouth
September 26: DeMontfort Hall, Leicester
September 27: Free Trade Hall, Manchester (two concerts)
September 28: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
September 30: Colston Hall, Bristol
October 1: Finsbury Park Astoria Theatre, London
October 2: Lewisham Gaumont Theatre, London
October 5: Town Hall, Birmingham
October 7: City Hall, Newcastle
October 8: Hammersmith Gaumont Theatre, London
October 9: Kilburn Gaumont Theatre, London
October 11: Olympia Theatre, Paris (two concerts)
October 13: Konserthuset, Stockholm (two concerts)
October 15: Kurhaus, Scheveningen
October 16: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam

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