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Miles Ahead session details

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November 26, 1945 (16 items; TT = 35:09)
WOR Studios, New York NY
Commercial for Savoy

Miles Davis (tpt); Charlie Parker (as); J.B. "Dizzy" Gillespie (p, tpt); Sadik Hakim [Argonne Thornton] (p); Dillon "Curley" Russell (b); Max Roach (d)
1 Billie's Bounce (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:40

Listen for Gillespie's "Yeah!" at 1:11
2 Billie's Bounce (take 2 (inc)) (C. Parker) 1:42
3 Billie's Bounce (take 3) (C. Parker) 3:04
4 Warming Up a Riff (inc) [Cherokee] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:34

Parker warms up a new reed. Track begins midway through Parker's first chorus
5 Billie's Bounce (take 4 (inc)) (C. Parker) 1:37
6 Billie's Bounce (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 3:08
7 Now's the Time (take 1 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:19
8 Now's the Time (take 2 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:36
9 Now's the Time (take 3) (C. Parker) 3:06
10 Now's the Time (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker) 3:15
11 Thriving on a Riff (take 1) [Anthropology] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:58
12 Thriving on a Riff (take 2 (inc)) [Anthropology] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 0:22
13 Thriving on a Riff (take 3 (master)) [Anthropology] (D. Gillespie-C. Parker) 2:55
14 Meandering (inc) [Embraceable You] (C. Parker) 3:18

Another warm-up tune. Davis out
15 Ko Ko (take 1 (fs)) [Cherokee] (C. Parker) 0:40

Herman Lubinsky and Parker abruptly stop the take as Davis plays the "Cherokee" melody
16 Ko Ko (take 2 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:55

1 Billie's Bounce (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

2 Billie's Bounce (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy (F) 255-SV-121, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

3 Billie's Bounce (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy SJL 1129, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

4 Warming Up a Riff (inc)
78 rpm: Savoy 945
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, Savoy SJL 2201
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, SV-0104, Nippon Columbia COCY-78265, COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

5 Billie's Bounce (take 4 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy (F) WL 70527, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

6 Billie's Bounce (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 573; Savoy 918
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 9001, Savoy MG 12009, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, COCY-78263, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

7 Now's the Time (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy (F) WL 70527, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

8 Now's the Time (take 2 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy (F) WL 70527, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

9 Now's the Time (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

10 Now's the Time (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 573; Savoy 918
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230), Columbia Legacy C2K 85475, Sony SRCS 2493/4, Sony SICP 20162/3

11 Thriving on a Riff (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

12 Thriving on a Riff (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy (F) 70527, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

13 Thriving on a Riff (take 3 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 903; Savoy 945
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, COCY-78263, Masters of Jazz MJCD 131, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

14 Meandering (inc)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

15 Ko Ko (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy SJL 2201, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

16 Ko Ko (take 2 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 597; Savoy 916
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, MG 9034, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, Savoy MG 12126, Savoy SJL 2201, Savoy MG 12079, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0105, Nippon Columbia COCY-78264, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50400 (= COCB-53033, COCB-53436, COCB-53883, COCB-54230)

At the time of this session Gillespie was under contract to Musicraft Records, so he is listed as "Hen Gates."

John Mehegan's "Special Notes and Commentary" to the original LP release (Savoy MG-12079) are the source of much confusion about this date. He claims, for example, that Bud Powell is the pianist, when in fact Powell was states away recovering from a breakdown.

There has been a lot of debate about who plays the eight-measure trumpet solos at the beginning and end of "Ko Ko." Most of the critical weight seems to be in favor of its being Gillespie, who (unlike Davis) was familiar with the theme and the arrangement, and who repeats the solo almost verbatim when playing "Ko Ko" at Carnegie Hall in September 1947. The case for Gillespie is laid out in detail by Brian Harker in a 2021 essay, "Miles Davis, 'Ko Ko,' and the Making of a Fallacy" published in Jazz Perspectives (https://doi.org/10.1080/17494060.2021.1970611).

Tommaso Urbano has argued on the basis of the aural evidence that it is Davis, not Gillespie, playing trumpet on "Ko Ko." He also argues that, although Gillespie plays the piano introduction on take 1 of "Thriving on a Riff," it is Argonne Thornton on the second and third takes. See his excellent website, The Music of Miles.

Although Davis seems unsure of himself in places, his style and harmonic sense is already present -- listen especially to his playing on "Now's the Time" and "Thriving on a Riff."

Thanks to Tommaso Urbano for discussion of this session, and to Carl Woideck, who discussed the session and shared Brian Harker's essay with me.

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