Session details: Columbia 30th Street Studio (October 24, 1966)

Miles Ahead session details

October 24, 1966 (35 items; TT = 84:37)

Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York NY

Commercial for Columbia

Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Wayne Shorter (ts); Herbie Hancock (p); Ron Carter (b); Tony Williams (d)

1	Circle (rehearsal) (M. Davis)	7:42
	They play (0:11). Davis: "Start from B minor... Start over, Ron." Carter: "Four-five-six..." False start. Hancock: "Wait. What's happenin'? You ready? OK." Davis: "Go ahead. I just wanna hear it." Hancock: "Wanna get started?" Carter: "Four-five-six..." False start. Carter: "Four-five-six..." They play (1:50). Hancock: "I wasn't doin' right..." Davis: "Hey, uh, Herbie, you put that C in the... G-flat..." Hancock: "Hmm? wait a minute. I couldn't play..." Davis: "Y'know, that D, G, and C, C into G-flat? Do we run all that together?" Hancock: "Aw, yeah, I'm gonna do that.... Ohh..." [Splice] Frank Laico (engineer): "Was that it, Teo?" Hancock: "Well, you listen -- this one, Miles?" Davis: "One-two, one-two-three, one-two-three..." False start. Davis: "Here we go. Boy, I sure am glad you ain't no connection or I'd be sicker than a motherfucker..." Hancock laughs while Carter tunes. Davis: "Slow poke... Let's go -- one-two-three, one-two-three..." They play (2:13). Davis: "There you can go to D minor..." Hancock: "Oh yeah, I did nothin', yeah." Carter: "Just do it all over again." Hancock: "I didn't get that other thing straight." Carter: "You start the form all over again..." [Splice] Davis: "It's all right, we're gonna have a little introduction." Macero: "Well, aren't you gonna have Herbie play the first chorus?" Davis: "Only thing about it, I might sound so funny after he play the first chorus, that we have to take it all back over again." Macero: "All right, well, let's start with that." Williams: [undecipherable]. Hancock: "I could do an insert on that, you know... Anyway..." Davis: "He can do an insert, right?" Macero: "Sure." Davis: "All right." Carter: "So we start around D minor for you?" Davis: "Herbie, make that chord, and I'll come in." Hancock: "Oh, that's, uh... (plays opening chord) OK." Davis: "Go ahead..." They play (1:30); as it winds down, Davis: "Lemme hear that, Teo. Fuck..." Macero: "All right, we'll play it back." Davis: "God DAMN, you got me tippin' all in that..." Hancock: "Hey man..." (cut off)
2	Circle (take 1 fs) (M. Davis)	0:19
	Davis: "Go ahead, make the chord..." Hancock: "Oh yeah..." As the take winds down, Davis: "Do it again..."
3	Circle (take 2 fs) (M. Davis)	0:24
	Macero: "Two..." Hancock: "One-two, one-two-three..." They play (0:14). At the end, Davis: "Start over again... Damn, that slips on that three beat (?)..."
4	Circle (take 3 inc) (M. Davis)	0:39
	Macero: "Three..." Hancock: "I'm gonna count one bar and then do one bar of that thing." Carter: "OK." Hancock: "One-two-three..." They play (0:29). At the end, Davis: "Take it up. Step..." (cut off)
5	Circle (take 4 inc) (M. Davis)	2:44
	Macero: "Four..." Davis: "Wait up. That was a nice melody. Did you cocksuckers end that? That was a motherfucker..." Macero: "Well, didn't you stop?" Davis: "Yeah, we stopped... 'cause there was some noise in here, other than..." [splice] Hancock: "All right." Davis: "I need moral support, Teo." Macero: "OK." Davis: "IM-moral..." Hancock: "Mmmh. One-two-three..." They play (2:08). At the end, Davis whistles, then "Hey Teo, play that back for me." Macero: "OK." Davis: "Wayne, you start..."
6	Circle (take 5) (M. Davis)	5:07
	Davis: "Whatever..." Hancock: "One, two, three..." They play (4:35). At the end, Davis: "See how that sounds, Teo. Fuck! What the fuck was that?" [splice] Hancock: Yeah, you couldn't tell we were gonna stop." Carter: "You said before, 'cause you said, Wayne, do four, play it through, and Herbie come in at three." Davis: "OK, you do four and three, Wayne." Carter: "And Herbie do two and one." Hancock: "Mmm-hmm." Davis: "Herbie do one-two-three-four." Carter: "Then, then after Wayne's chorus we start right back at the B minor." Davis: "Yeah..." Hancock: "Let's get the numbers together." Carter: "Yeah, Herbie's doin' one-two-three..." Davis: "Herbie's doin' one..." (cut off)
7	Circle (take 6) (M. Davis)	6:09
	Macero: "Take six..." Hancock: "So we're gonna skip three the first time?" Davis: "Yeah." Hancock: "I mean one-two: we're gonna do one-two-four-three..." Carter: "Mmm-hmm." Hancock: "One-two, no... one-two-four-three, one-two-three-four, one-two-three-four." Davis: "Yeah..." Hancock: "OK." Davis: "Go ahead." Hancock: "One, one-two-three..." They play (5:44). At the end, Davis: "That just has to be like that, Teo..."
8	Orbits (take 1 inc) (W. Shorter)	1:26
	False start. Carter: "[undecipherable] What's in this? Oh, this one." Hancock: "Oh, the other one. Got it, got it... Yeah..." Davis plays opening note: "Come on, come... ON..." Count off. They play (0:14). Davis: "I was just gonna play that... that rhythm." Hancock: "Nice." Davis: "Play that other rhythm, Tony." Hancock: "Oh, that bossa nova thing?" Davis: "Just straighten out down there." Williams: "Oh, oh..." Davis: OK?" They play (0:30). Davis: "Eh, that's too fast." Hancock: "That wasn't hard, was it?"
9	Orbits (take 2 fs) (W. Shorter)	0:25
	False start. They play. Midway through the first chorus, Davis: "Oh, shit. Try it again." Hancock: undecipherable. Davis: "Don't rush it, Tony." Williams: "Mmm-hmm."
10	Orbits (take 3 fs) (W. Shorter)	0:52
	False start. Davis: "Hey, Teo. Oh..." They play (0:15). Breakdown during first chorus. Davis: "That's the way it goes... (laughter) Try again. Leave the first part out, Wayne. Let's just start on dat-dadada-da-dah... OK? Right there." Hancock: "I don't play at the beginning anyway." Carter: "That's at A, right? Uh, one, I mean." Davis: "Yeah."
11	Orbits (rehearsal) (W. Shorter)	2:27
	They play (0:22). Hancock: "Ah, here we go. OK." Davis: "Hey, play that back, Teo." Macero: "OK." They play (0:19). Hancock: "Oh [undecipherable]." Davis (to Williams): "Just say, t-t-t-t-t-t-t, like that." Williams: "Yeah." Davis (to Hancock) "Hey Herbie, get outta there..." Hancock: "Yeah, do it one more time." Davis: "But you don't play nothin'..." Hancock: "I was just gonna get it straight. Very right..." Davis: "Well, what we'll do is... some guy just loves doin'... OK? All right?" They play (0:24). Hancock: "Oh, yeah." Williams: "Try it again... one more time." Davis: "OK." They play (0:24). Williams: "What do we, what do we do after that?" Davis: "Just play the chorus..." Hancock: "Oh, yeah, yeah..." Williams: "Bossa or..." Carter: "And the chords start at A, right? The chords start at A. I mean, um, one." Hancock: "And it says..." (he plays five chords, singing along with them). Williams: "Miles... Miles... Miles... [undecipherable]" Carter: "I'm on a [undecipherable] part, and not on the melody and I don't know what..." Hancock: "Oh..."
12	Orbits (take 4 inc) (W. Shorter)	0:53
	They play (0:46). At the end, Davis: "Start at the chorus, in G minor..." Williams: "Are we playin' the six-four bar and the five-four bar and everything?" Carter: "I wasn't on course for the choruses (?)" Williams: "'Cause I can't hear..."
13	Orbits (take 5 fs) (W. Shorter)	0:12
	Macero: "We're on..." False start (0:06). At the end, Davis to Williams: "Don't play so loud, Tony."
14	Orbits (take 6 inc) (W. Shorter)	2:51
	Macero: "Six..." False start (0:07). Davis: "Wrong way..." Hancock: "OK, Herbie..." They play (0:31). Davis: "Don't play that. Let's try again..." False start (0:05). Davis: "play it again." False start (0:03). They play (1:39). At the end, Davis: "Hey Teo, play that much. I wanna hear that." Macero: "OK."
15	Orbits (take 7 fs) (W. Shorter)	0:26
	False start (0:07). Davis: "Uh-uhh, Tony. No, no. Don't do nothin' like that. Should say babadabada-ba-ba-krchchh..." Hancock: "Yeah, some o' dem rolls... and muffins..." Davis: "We got it... We got it."
16	Orbits (take 8) (W. Shorter)	4:03
	False start (0:03). At the end of the complete take (3:44) Davis: "Play it back. Don't sit up there gigglin', cocksucker... (laughter) That's it, Herbie, that's cuter than a motherfucker." Hancock: "Yeah." [splice] Davis: "Man, come ON!" Hancock: "Tryin' to get the sound of that..."
17	Orbits (take 9 fs) (W. Shorter)	0:30
	Macero: "Nine..." Unknown (engineer Frank Laico?): "Feel it." Williams plays on wood blocks. Davis: "Shh..." False start (0:05), Davis practicing, then "Damn..." Another false start (0:06)
18	Orbits (take 10 inc) (W. Shorter)	0:30
	Macero interrupts at 0:26: "Hold it, Miles, hold it, Miles. We've got a problem here with the pot, that's..." (cut off)
19	Orbits (take 11) (W. Shorter)	4:51
	Macero: "Take eleven..." Davis: "Do [undecipherable] get sued and picketed." Williams: "Put it on the beat." Complete take (4:34). At the end, Davis: "Play it." Williams: "Did you get them chimes, man?" Hancock: [undecipherable]
20	Dolores (rehearsal) (W. Shorter)	3:01
	Davis: "One-two-three-four..." They play (0:38). Davis: "Wait a minute. I got... I looked to see where I start and I can't find it. Mmm, I ain't never played this one. Well, Teo, this is the same thing... (Macero laughs) It's out there..." Macero: "OK, I..." Carter: "Is this, is this the same as the last one we just played? It feels almost the same..." Davis: "All right, here you go." Hancock: "Yeah, we gotta make it different some kind of way..." They play (0:06). Hancock: "Uh, this has to sound more (snaps fingers) happy, y'know... some kind of way." Davis: "Here you go, one-two-three..." They play (0:12). Davis whistles: "Ron, sing -- te-dum-dum-oooom-dum-dum-dum-boom-boom.. OK?" Carter: "OK, play some active... activitity [sic]." False start (0:02); Davis: "One-two-three..." They play (1:04). Davis: "That's some funny shit, boy... [laughter] Hey play that again, Te -- play that, Teo." Macero: "OK." Davis: "Jesus... [undecipherable]." Hancock: "Oh, ho..."
21	Dolores (take 1 inc) (W. Shorter)	2:01
	Macero: "This is 'Freedom Jazz Dance' -- Co 91175, take one." Davis: "No, it isn't!" Macero: "What's it called?" Davis: "Freedom Dan -- Jazz Dance SERIES." Macero: "Series?" Davis: "No, this isn't called Freedom Dan -- Jazz Dance." Macero: "Well, what's this called?" Davis: "It isn't called anything yet." Macero: "OK... all right... OK." Davis: "One-two-three..." False start (0:03). Davis: "Here we go. One-two-three-four..." They play (0:58). At the end, Davis: "Do it again."
22	Dolores (take 2) (W. Shorter)	6:40
	Macero: "Two..." Davis practicing. Carter: "Come on, are we gettin' faster, too? Are we gettin' faster?" Williams: "Huh? No, we just try to keep it... on top." Carter: "It sounds kinda like we're getting faster." Davis: "Yeah, keep it right on top like that. Here we go." Hancock: "A-A-B-A., hmm?" Williams: "Keep it... tight." Carter: "No, just A-B-A." Davis: "God DAMN, them chords are hard." Hancock: "Naah, uh-uh, y'all play this... with the melody..." Carter: "During the melody -- but during the choruses, you don't repeat this..." Hancock: "Oh, OK, OK." Carter: "A-B... C." Davis: "Hey Herbie, don't play nothin' until you get ready to play." Hancock: "You don't want that thing in there? I thought it was cute..." Davis: "Uh-uh. I don't." Carter: "It's A-B-C form." Williams: "Wait a minute, wait a minute..." Hancock: "Just A-A-B-A during the melody..." Carter: "Right... A-A-B-C during the melody." Hancock: "Oh, A-A-B-C, right, I'm sorry..." Carter: "With a, with a da capo... " Davis: "All right..." Hancock: "Ah..." Macero: "OK, we're rolling. Take two..." Davis: "Tony?" Carter, Hancock, and Williams discuss a missing sandwich. Davis: "Here you go. One-two-three..." Complete take (6:17); at the end, Davis: "Teo... We made the ending about six times..."
23	Freedom Jazz Dance (rehearsal) (E. Harris)	8:07
	Davis: "...feeling you have on the end of it -- slur it." Macero: "CO 91176, Freedom Dance, take one..." Hancock and Carter practicing. Davis (to Carter): "In the middle of it, slur it... Yeah." Carter: [undecipherable]. Davis: "Slur all of it... [Carter plays] Yeah." Davis counts off; Carter has trouble with the opening. Carter: "Ah... shit." Davis: "Just play it... No, you don't have to slur all of it, play it." Carter: "You said slur all of them. I don't know which ones to slur..." Davis: "Well, slur... half of it. [Carter plays] No, that's too common, c'mon... [Carter continues to try different phrasing] Pick the first part and slur the last part. [Carter plays] No, play eighth notes. Run the chord." Williams: "Play it up to tempo... like double time." Davis: "No, like bubba-dooba-doom-boom-boom, bubba-budubba-dubba-doom-boom -- you know? Carter: "No, I don't know. I don't understand." Hancock: "Babbadabba-ding ding-ding-ding..." Davis: "Toobowabadubba-doom-boom-boom... BOOM. Boom-dobubbadooba-doom-boom... Like that." Williams: "Play that fourth... that fourth beat." Davis: "Yeah... [Carter continues to work on the bass line] Yeah..." Carter: "Ah..." Davis: "Play diminish... play D diminished." Carter: "D diminished?" Davis: "Yeah... E diminished!" Williams: "Mmm-hmm..." Davis: "Yeah." Carter: "E diminished..." Davis: "Play it in the, in the, in the, in the, in that B-flat chord, end up on the fourth, Ron. And play..." Carter: "Yeah, I'm tryin' to understand what, how to do that." He plays. Davis: "Yeah, like that. That's good." Carter: "Then it's... it's odd to... hear some time and... where to put it..." Davis: "We'll shut our eyes." Carter: "No, no, no, no -- you can keep one eye open... keep the good eye open." Hancock: "Yeah, man, you be like this... Wayne be like this, and I be like this..." Laughter. Davis: "Start with a B flat." Carter begins, Williams joins in. Davis: "Shut up, shut up -- shhh..." Williams: "He wants to hear some time..." [Carter continues] Davis: "Uh-uh, don't make it a figure like that; just run up a, like a, like a, uh, s..., uh, four, intervals..." Carter joined by Hancock, both work on the line. Davis: "You know it... in three it goes like that, Ron. OK, let's play it. Here you go... Not no figure in it, there you go. One-two-three-four..." False start. Carter: "Oh, it's a stop." Carter and Williams set a tempo. Davis: "Yeah... Get a brush there, Tony." Carter and Williams work on the line; Shorter and Davis join and they work on the melody (0:52). Davis: "Hey, play that, Teo." Macero: "OK." [splice] Hancock works on his left hand: "... or somethin'" Davis: "Yeah, Herbie, hit a chord, hit a chord, hit a chord." Williams: "Mmm, that's nice, Herbie." Hancock: "Huh? Hit a chord?" Davis: "Yeah, just say bah-bah-bah..." Hancock: "Ah, you mean... [plays three chords] ...that part, you mean?" Davis, walking to the piano: "Yeah. you don't play it with all that shit in it... [Davis plays two chords] Just say, just say [plays one chord] somethin' like that." Hancock: "Oh, oh..." Davis: "...whatever." Hancock plays two chords. Davis: "Yeah, OK. Here you go..." Counts off. Carter starts, but Davis interrupts: "yeah, play it after he plays, y'know? When he plays, you drop the chord. One-two-three-four..." Hancock: "What for?" Davis counts off. False start. Hancock: "Oh yeah, there?" Williams: "It's on a..." Davis: "Play two, Tony: ch-pop, ch-pop, ch-pop, ch-pop..." They play. Williams: "Herbie... Herbie..." Davis: "Now you're in between that..." Hancock: "you say -- huh?" Williams: "Herbie, we play, we play it like one-two-three-four, one-two-three-four, one-two... [he punctuates with his two-beat accents] one-two-three-four..." Hancock: "All right, I was gonna play that, that first one, so it goes bang, ah-ah." Williams: "OK, yeah, three of 'em." Davis: "All right." Williams: "OK." Hancock: "Because Ron is in between all of that -- he goes bucka-do, bucka-do, ehh-oh..." Davis: "One-two-three-four, one-two-three-four..." They play (0:28); at the end, Hancock: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, wait a minute... Hey, that's gonna do it." Davis: "That sounds corny slow, but..." Williams: "I'm tryin' to get away from playin' the bass drum, y'know? 'Cause it's gonna mess up what Ron's doin'." Carter: "I'll just play it up high enough -- don't worry about it." Williams: "Yeah, man, I still don't like it. Boom, boom boom." Davis: "Play at him!" Hancock: "Don't play that first beat, though, Tony -- just play bam-bam." Williams plays on ride cymbal and wood blocks. Davis: "No, man, play on them, man. No, play on them right there, on the snare, you know, on the other end of it." Carter: "Those are the right notes, too -- the last first three notes." Hancock: "Oh, yeah." He plays a phrase. Carter: "No, no, no, the last three. Play the last three." Davis (to Williams, playing the woodblock): Gimme a roll on that... Gimme a roll on whatever... all of it." Williams: "From this end?" Davis: "The other end..." [Williams plays] That's not so bad!" Carter: "Tony, play the last three, the bottom three, one-two-three, bottom... bottom up." Williams plays three blocks. Davis: "No. Roll on 'em..." Williams rolls. Hancock: "Mmmh..." Davis: "Now come back on 'em. Yeah, yeah, do that." Hancock: "Who's gonna play the drums while he's doin' that? Need to overdub that..." Davis: "He already doin' it -- put it over that, he can play the drums." Hancock: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We could overdub it too [laughs]."
24	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 1 inc) (E. Harris)	1:30
	Macero: "OK, 'Freedom Jazz Dance', take one..." Williams still practicing rolls on wood blocks. Davis: "Go ahead... Go ahead, do it. Do it on one, man, just keep it on one -- don't run all over that. Play it on two, like this... [Williams plays] Yeah, like that. [Williams plays on higher-pitched blocks] Yeah, like... that's better. Oh, don't play that, man, just play single strokes. [Williams plays] Yeah, yeah. So... Just keep it up, man!" Williams: "Oh, just keep, just keep playin' it? OK." Counts off. False start. Hancock: "Do it again..." They play a suspended-rhythm line, Davis and Shorter join (0:41); at the end Davis: "That's terrible." Williams: "Sure is." Davis: "Throw that away." Williams: "Put that on the trash..." Hancock: "Yeah..."
25	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 2 inc) (E. Harris)	0:55
	Macero: "Two..." Williams: "Don't play with all of it..." False start. Davis: "Start right on it." Count off. They play (0:38). At the end Davis: "Hey look here, man, if you'd lay out of that, Herbie, it'd be all right..." Hancock: "Oh, you think that might be a good idea?" Davis: "Yeah, that'd be a very good, brilliant idea."
26	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 3 inc) (E. Harris)	0:21
	Macero: "Take three..." Davis "All right." They play (0:10); at the end, Davis: "Teo, you know, I can't play this shit, man." Macero: "Yes you can."
27	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 4 inc) (E. Harris)	0:41
	Macero: "Four..." False start, count off. They play (0:14); at the end, Davis: "We gonna have to divide this up, brother (laughs)" Hancock: "It's good, man. It's good, man." Macero: "One more time'll do it." Davis: "I can't play it all, man. [To Shorter] You wanna do it like we got it? [To Macero] We're gonna divide it up." Macero: "Yeah, that's a good idea."
28	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 5 inc) (E. Harris)	2:12
	Macero: "Four." False start. Macero: "Five..." They play (0:29), then stop as Davis' solo begins; Davis picks up again (0:32). Carter: "You know, I hear a turnback in there we make that E sound -- E diminished, C minor seven, F, and G-flat." Hancock: "Oh, like a bridge?" Carter: "No, no, no." Hancock: "A turnback?" Carter plays and whistles. Hancock: "Oh, I see." During Carter and Hancock's exchange, Davis: "You know what we can do, Wayne? We could say da-da-da-dada-dada-dadadada-dada-dada-dum... [he sings the rhythm of the familiar melody, with pauses]. You know what I mean?" Carter: "You hear that line?" Davis: "Herbie, can we do it like that?" Hancock: "I need to hear it..." Davis: Listen..." [he sings again] Williams: "Oh, st... make it make it longer, yeah." Hancock: "Like Ornette, yeah, yeah, yeah... yeah." Davis (still singing rhythm): "All right? All right."
29	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 6 inc) (E. Harris)	1:57
	Macero: "Six." Davis: "Wait a minute, Teo. How do you know how we're gonna play it?" False start. Davis: "Do the same tempo..." They play (1:36). At the end, Davis: "Hey Teo, play that back. That's a nice idea, now." Macero: "OK." Davis: "Brilliant idea."
30	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 7 inc) (E. Harris)	2:29
	Macero (with Davis practicing): "This'll be take seven." Hancock (laughing at Davis' phrasing): "Baaah... Y'know, when you hit that last note you gotta... do it on one leg." Davis: "OK, here we go..." Counts off. False start. They play (1:54); Davis to Carter: "No, play like you're playin'..." Carter: "Huh?" Davis: "Play like you're playin'." Carter: "Keep playin'?" Davis: "Yeah." Williams: "OK." Carter: "You said fourths, right?" Davis: "Yeah, play like that." Williams: "Right." Davis: "That's hard to play it right... I mean... Let's play it again..."
31	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 8 inc) (E. Harris)	1:45
	Macero: "Eight." Two false starts. Davis: "Let's split that up, Wayne, I can't play that fast. Only on Sundays..." They play (0:51). Davis: "Gotta split it up; I tried to play, I can't make it. I can make it if nobody listenin' -- ain't don't nobody tell anybody." Laughter, count off; false start. Another false start.
32	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 9 inc) (E. Harris)	0:27
	Macero: "All right, nine." Davis: "Go ahead, Tony." Count off. False start: Williams sets the beat, Davis and Shorter enter. Davis counts off; more Williams-only. Davis: "Just every..." Williams: [undecipherable].
33	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 10A inc) (E. Harris)	1:17
	Macero: "Ten." Davis: "One-two-three -- one (snap), two (snap), three (snap)... [Williams plays] No, not quite like that, just say, ah... triplets, daddla-daddla-daddla-daddla-daddla-da, you know. One-two-three-four... [Williams plays] No, diddla-diddla-diddla-diddla-diddla-diddla-diddla-diddla... In the left hand, Tony. Just say, dadada-dadada-dadada-dadada-dadada in your left hand." Williams: "Can't play that fast..." Hancock: "Like Art Blakey, Elvin…" Shorter: "Dadat-dadat dadat..." Hancock: dadat-dadat-dadat-dadat..." Williams: "Too fast. I can't play it that fast, that's what I mean." Davis: "You can't play triplets that fast?" Williams tries a few triplets, then "one-two-three-four..." Hancock: "Play 'em like the Art Blakey kind... yeah..." Williams tries a two-note pattern. Hancock: "Yeah." Williams: "That's not triplets." Williams (to Davis): "You want that? I can play it Elvin, that's with one-two-three-four..." He plays. "Davis: "Don't play no bass drum... [Williams plays] OK..."
34	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 10B inc) (E. Harris)	1:16
	Macero: "All right, ten." Davis: "All right." False start (Williams only). Davis: "Hold it, hold it. Wait a minute, brother." Williams: "Yes, Dad." Davis: "Start off as one, two, three, yit-da-dit-da-dit-da-dit-da-dit-da-dit... like that..." Williams: "One, two, three, yit-da-dit, yit-da-dit, yit-da-dit..." Davis: "That's it! One-two-three, three... go ahead. One-two-three..." False start (0:15). Davis: "Try it again. Go ahead..." Hancock (laughing): "Dit-dit-dit-dit..." Williams: "One-two, one-two, two..." Another false start (0:15). Davis (to Carter): "You play what you've been playin'. He's gonna go back to him there." Carter: "OK." Davis: "You know, you go back to the way you all were playin' that figure too." Williams: "Ah." Davis: "OK."
35	Freedom Jazz Dance (take 11) (E. Harris)	7:28
	Macero: "Eleven." Davis counts off; false start (0:08). Davis: "Do it again." Counts off. Complete take (7:11)


1 Circle (rehearsal) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
2 Circle (take 1 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
3 Circle (take 2 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
4 Circle (take 3 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
5 Circle (take 4 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
6 Circle (take 5) 12" LP: Columbia CL 2601 (= CS 9401), Speakers Corner CS 9401, CBS/Sony SONP 50177, CBS/Sony SONT 52042, CBS/Sony SOPL 165, CBS/Sony 18AP 2069, CBS/Sony 23AP 2569, CBS/Sony 25AP 765, Mosaic MQ10-177 CD: Columbia CK 48849, Columbia CK 65682, Columbia Legacy C6K 67398, Columbia Legacy C6K 90925, Columbia CK 61405, Columbia CK 65945, Columbia Legacy CK 65038, Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2201, CBS/Sony 32DP 724, Sony SRCS 5707, Sony SRCS 9114, Sony SRCS 9710, Sony SRCS 8575/80, Sony SICP 663/8, Sony SRCS 2230, Sony SRGS 4538, Sony SICP 827, Sony SICP 1216, Sony SICP 20058, Sony SICP 30263, Sony SICJ 30069, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 26)
7 Circle (take 6) 12" LP: Columbia CL 2601 (= CS 9401), Speakers Corner CS 9401, CBS/Sony SONP 50177, CBS/Sony SONT 52042, CBS/Sony SOPL 165, CBS/Sony 18AP 2069, CBS/Sony 23AP 2569, CBS/Sony 25AP 765, Mosaic MQ10-177 CD: Columbia CK 48849, Columbia CK 65682, Columbia Legacy C6K 67398, Columbia Legacy C6K 90925, Columbia CK 61405, Columbia CK 65945, Columbia Legacy CK 65038, Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2201, CBS/Sony 32DP 724, Sony SRCS 5707, Sony SRCS 9114, Sony SRCS 9710, Sony SRCS 8575/80, Sony SICP 663/8, Sony SRCS 2230, Sony SRGS 4538, Sony SICP 827, Sony SICP 1216, Sony SICP 20058, Sony SICP 30263, Sony SICJ 30069, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 26)
8 Orbits (take 1 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
9 Orbits (take 2 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
10 Orbits (take 3 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
11 Orbits (rehearsal) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
12 Orbits (take 4 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
13 Orbits (take 5 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
14 Orbits (take 6 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
15 Orbits (take 7 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
16 Orbits (take 8) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
17 Orbits (take 9 fs) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
18 Orbits (take 10 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
19 Orbits (take 11) 12" LP: Columbia CL 2601 (= CS 9401), Speakers Corner CS 9401, CBS/Sony SONP 50177, CBS/Sony SONT 52042, CBS/Sony SOPL 165, CBS/Sony 18AP 2069, CBS/Sony 23AP 2569, CBS/Sony 25AP 765, Mosaic MQ10-177 CD: Columbia CK 48849, Columbia CK 65682, Columbia Legacy C6K 67398, Columbia Legacy C6K 90925, Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2201, CBS/Sony 32DP 724, Sony SRCS 5707, Sony SRCS 9114, Sony SRCS 9710, Sony SRCS 8575/80, Sony SICP 663/8, Sony SRCS 2230, Sony SRGS 4538, Sony SICP 827, Sony SICP 1216, Sony SICP 20058, Sony SICP 30263, Sony SICJ 30069, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 26)
20 Dolores (rehearsal) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
21 Dolores (take 1 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
22 Dolores (take 2) 12" LP: Columbia CL 2601 (= CS 9401), Speakers Corner CS 9401, CBS/Sony SONP 50177, CBS/Sony SONT 52042, CBS/Sony SOPL 165, CBS/Sony 18AP 2069, CBS/Sony 23AP 2569, CBS/Sony 25AP 765, Mosaic MQ10-177 CD: Columbia CK 48849, Columbia CK 65682, Columbia Legacy C6K 67398, Columbia Legacy C6K 90925, Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2201, CBS/Sony 32DP 724, Sony SRCS 5707, Sony SRCS 9114, Sony SRCS 9710, Sony SRCS 8575/80, Sony SICP 663/8, Sony SRCS 2230, Sony SRGS 4538, Sony SICP 827, Sony SICP 1216, Sony SICP 20058, Sony SICP 30263, Sony SICJ 30069, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 26)
23 Freedom Jazz Dance (rehearsal) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
24 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 1 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
25 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 2 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
26 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 3 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
27 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 4 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
28 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 5 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
29 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 6 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
30 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 7 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
31 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 8 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
32 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 9 inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
33 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 10A inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
34 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 10B inc) CD: Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7
35 Freedom Jazz Dance (take 11) 12" LP: Columbia CL 2601 (= CS 9401), Speakers Corner CS 9401, CBS/Sony SONP 50177, CBS/Sony SONT 52042, CBS/Sony SOPL 165, CBS/Sony 18AP 2069, CBS/Sony 23AP 2569, CBS/Sony 25AP 765, CBS/Sony 00AP 2076/81, Mosaic MQ10-177 CD: Columbia CK 48849, Columbia CK 65682, Columbia Legacy C6K 67398, Columbia Legacy C6K 90925, Columbia 69699 89152, Columbia Legacy 88985 35737, Sony SICJ 30005/7, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2201, CBS/Sony 32DP 724, Sony SRCS 5707, CBS/Sony 80DP 872/5, Sony SRCS 5691/4, Sony SRCS 9114, Sony SRCS 8575/80, Sony SICP 663/8, Sony SRCS 9710, Sony SRGS 4538, Sony SICP 827, Sony SICP 1216, Sony SICP 20058, Sony SICP 30263, Sony SICJ 30069, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 26)

"Circle" is the only tune on Miles Smiles for which there is more than one complete take. The originally-issued version of "Circle" is a composite: the first 4:38 (until Davis' closing statement of the theme) is from complete take 6; the remaining 1:10, including Davis' "See how that sounds, Teo...", is from complete take 5. The tune is based on "Drad-Dog," recorded in March 1961 and issued on Someday My Prince Will Come. Herbie Hancock has written that

Miles brought in this lead sheet of "Drad-Dog" and said, "Play this chord," so I played it. Then he pointed to a chord on the sheet and said, "play this chord before this chord," and so I did. The he pointed to another chord and said, "play this chord after this chord," and in a few minutes, we had this new song.

According to the track sheets for this session, the original title for "Orbits" was "Mass Confusion." During Davis' solo on the master take 11 (beginning at ca. 0:50), someone can be heard in the left channel tapping on a cowbell or other percussion instrument. This occurs while Hancock is not playing piano, so it may be him. Perhaps this explains Williams' reference to "chimes" in the chatter following the take. Thanks to Jonathan Lim for discussing this with me.

There is one extant live version of "Dolores," and a few live versions of "Gingerbread Boy," but the only tune from the Miles Smiles sessions that entered the live book immediately and stayed there was Wayne Shorter's "Footprints." Davis continued to play the tune regularly; the last extant recording is from April 1970, after Shorter's departure from Davis' working group.

The Evolution of the Groove (Columbia Legacy 89152) includes a 2:56 remix of "Freedom Jazz Dance" featuring Nas (voc), Olu Dara (tpt), Geri Allen (el-p), Victor Bailey (el-b), Vincent Wilburn, Jr. (d), Erik Kussio and Todd Lea (drum programming), Diego Carlin (keyboard programming), and Pat Thrall (programming).

The Quintet played at the Pacific Jazz Festival in Costa Mesa CA on Sunday October 9. Later in the year they were booked for a week at the Village Vanguard (November 22-27), and the following month they returned -- with Jack De Johnette on drums -- for two nights (December 16-17).