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Miles Ahead session details

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May 8, 1947 (16 items; TT = 31:18)
Harris Smith Studio, New York NY
Commercial for Savoy

Miles Davis (tpt); Charlie Parker (as); Earl "Bud" Powell (p); Tommy Potter (b); Max Roach (d)
1 Donna Lee (take 1 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:11
2 Donna Lee (take 2) (C. Parker) 2:58
3 Donna Lee (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:29
4 Donna Lee (take 4) (C. Parker) 2:34
5 Donna Lee (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:30
6 Chasin' the Bird (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:53
7 Chasin' the Bird (take 2 (fs)) (C. Parker) 0:18
8 Chasin' the Bird (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:57
9 Chasin' the Bird (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:42
10 Cheryl (take 1) (C. Parker) 0:04
11 Cheryl (take 2 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:55

Parker plays the "Cool Blues" theme during his solo (0:47-0:51)
12 Buzzy (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:55
13 Buzzy (take 2 (inc)) (C. Parker) 0:32
14 Buzzy (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:35
15 Buzzy (take 4 (inc)) (C. Parker) 0:19
16 Buzzy (take 5 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:26

1 Donna Lee (take 1 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Masters of Jazz MJCD 187, Philology Volume 60 (W 891)

2 Donna Lee (take 2)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187, Philology Volume 60 (W 891)

3 Donna Lee (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy SJL 1129, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78263, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187, Philology Volume 60 (W 891)

4 Donna Lee (take 4)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78263, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187, Philology Volume 60 (W 891)

5 Donna Lee (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 652; Savoy 928
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy SJL 2201, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0104, Nippon Columbia COCY-78265, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187, Philology Volume 60 (W 891)

6 Chasin' the Bird (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy 12001, Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

7 Chasin' the Bird (take 2 (fs))
12" LP: Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

8 Chasin' the Bird (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, Savoy SJL 1129, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78263, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

9 Chasin' the Bird (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 977
10" LP: Savoy MG-9000, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12014, Savoy SJL 2201, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0104, Nippon Columbia COCY-78265, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

10 Cheryl (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

11 Cheryl (take 2 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 954
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy SJL 2001, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

12 Buzzy (take 1)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12009, Savoy SJL 1107, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0103, Nippon Columbia COCY-78263, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

13 Buzzy (take 2 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

14 Buzzy (take 3)
12" LP: Savoy MG 12001, Savoy SJL 1129, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0102, Nippon Columbia COCY-78262, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

15 Buzzy (take 4 (inc))
12" LP: Savoy MG 12000, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0101, Nippon Columbia COCY-78261, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

16 Buzzy (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Savoy 928
10" LP: Savoy MG-9001, Craft Recordings 8807209696-7
12" LP: Savoy 652, Savoy MG 12000, Savoy SJL 2201, Savoy S5J-5500
CD: Nippon Columbia/Savoy SV-0101, Nippon Columbia COCY-78261, Nippon Columbia COCY-75791/8, Definitive Records DRCD 11148, Nippon Columbia COCB-50401 (= COCB-53034, COCB-53437, COCB-53884, COCB-54231), Masters of Jazz MJCD 187

"Donna Lee" (named for Curley Russell's daughter) is credited to Parker on the original issue and many subsequent ones, but it is clearly Davis' tune. Parker fluffs the theme repeatedly in take 1. Davis plays open trumpet throughout this session, and he's got his own voice, free of the Gillespie influence. In general, both his playing and Parker's is better on the early takes than on later ones.

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