[light] [dark]

Miles Ahead session details

[Return to main page]

April 2, 1959 (9 items; TT = 25:55)
CBS-TV Studio 61, New York NY
CBS TV Broadcast (B)
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt, flh); John Coltrane (ts, as); Wynton Kelly (p); Paul Chambers (b); Jimmy Cobb (d); Ernie Royal (tpt); Clyde Reisinger (tpt); Louis Mucci (tpt); Johnny Coles (tpt); Emmett Berry (tpt); Frank Rehak (tb); Jimmy Cleveland (tb); Bill Elton (tb); Rod Levitt (valve tb); Julius Watkins (frh); Robert Northern (frh); Bill Barber (tuba); Romeo Penque (cl, fl); Eddie Caine (cl, fl); Danny Bank (bcl); Gil Evans (arr, cond); Robert Herridge (ann)

1 So What (M. Davis) 10:29
2 Introduction (Robert Herridge) 0:27
3 The Duke (D. Brubeck) 3:29
4 Blues for Pablo (G. Evans) 5:46
5 New Rhumba (A. Jamal) 4:27
6 Announcement (Robert Herridge) 0:17
7 So What (reprise) (M. Davis) 0:34
8 So What (reprise) (M. Davis) 0:16
9 Orchestral fragment 0:10


1 So What
12" LP: Ozone 18, Beppo BEP-502, Bandstand BDLP-1501
CD: Bandstand BDCD-1501, Tokuma TKCB-71062 (= TKCB-71892), Jazz Door JD 1242, Lone Hill Jazz LHJ-10206, United Archives NUA 10
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Atlantic 50240, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

2 Introduction (Robert Herridge)
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552

3 The Duke
12" LP: Ozone 18, Beppo BEP-502
CD: United Archives NUA 10
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Atlantic 50240, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

4 Blues for Pablo
12" LP: Ozone 18, Beppo BEP-502
CD: Recording Arts (Golden Age of Jazz) JZCD 314, Recording Arts Reference Edition RARE CD 08/10, United Archives NUA 10
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Atlantic 50240, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

5 New Rhumba
12" LP: Ozone 18, Beppo BEP-502
CD: United Archives NUA 10
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Atlantic 50240, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

6 Announcement (Robert Herridge)
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

7 So What (reprise)
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Idem IDVD 1057, Think Visual THV-145473

8 So What (reprise)
Video: Toei Video TE-M576, Columbia Legacy 88697 33552

9 Orchestral fragment
Video: Columbia Legacy 88697 33552, Atlantic 50240


This performance was filmed for The Sound of Miles Davis, an installment of The Robert Herridge Theater. Cannonball Adderley missed this date because of a migraine headache, which may explain why Davis solos twice on "So What," both before and after Coltrane. The show was broadcast on July 21, 1960.

Kelly plays only in the quintet ("So What") -- he plays a small somewhat out-of-tune upright piano on the reprise of "So What" at the end of the set. Coltrane plays tenor saxophone in the quintet and alto in the ensemble. In the full version of "So What" Rehak, Cleveland, and Elton play obbligatos behind Davis' second solo and during the closing chorus. Closing credits roll during the concluding reprise of "So What."

The Sextet was busy throughout 1959: Birdland, New York (January 1-14); Sutherland Hotel Lounge, Chicago (January 21-February 1); Civic Opera House, Chicago (Saturday, February 14, 8:00 and 11:00 pm); Showboat, Philadelphia (February 23-28); Apollo Theater, New York (March 13-19); Loew's Valencia Theater, New York (Thursday, March 13, midnight show); WCBS-TV Studio 61, New York (Thursday, April 2); Birdland, New York (April 16-29); Sutherland Hotel Lounge, Chicago (May 6-17); Blackhawk Supper Club, San Francisco (May 29-June 21); Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles (Friday, June 26, 8:30pm); Jazz Seville, Los Angeles (July 1-19). Coltrane left the group in the middle of the Jazz Seville gig, although he would return about a month later. Davis hired Jimmy Heath as Coltrane's replacement.

All original content on this website is licensed by Peter Losin under a Creative Commons License