Session details: Easy Sound Studio (January 31-February 4, 1985)

Miles Ahead session details

January 31-February 4, 1985 (10 items; TT = 66:22)

Easy Sound Studio, Copenhagen (Denmark)

Commercial for Columbia

Miles Davis (tpt); Benny Rosenfeld (tpt, flh); Palle Bolvig (tpt, flh); Jens Winther (tpt, flh); Perry Knudsen (tpt, flh); Palle Mikkelborg (tpt, flh, cond); Idrees Sulieman (tpt, flh); Vincent Nilsson (tb); Jens Engel (tb); Ture Larsen (tb); Ole Kurt Jensen (bass tb); Axel Windfeld (bass tb, tuba); Jesper Thilo (reeds, flute); Per Carsten (reeds, flute); Uffe Karskov (reeds, flute); Bent Jaedig (reeds, flute); Flemming Madsen (reeds, flute); Niels Eje (oboe, engl horn); John McLaughlin (g); Bjarne Roupé (g); Lillian Tørnquist (harp); Thomas Clausen (p, keyb); Ole Koch-Hansen (keyb); Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); Bo Stief (el-b); Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b); Vincent Wilburn Jr. (d, el-d); Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Ethan Weisgard (perc); Eva Hess-Thaysen (voc)

1	Intro (P. Mikkelborg)	4:46
	Solo: McLaughlin
2	White (P. Mikkelborg)	6:04
	Davis (tpt) overdub from take 2, later edited by Mikkelborg. Solo: McLaughlin
3	Yellow (P. Mikkelborg)	6:47
	Davis out
4	Orange (P. Mikkelborg)	8:37
	Solo: McLaughlin
5	Red [Electric Red] (P. Mikkelborg)	6:04
6	Green (P. Mikkelborg)	8:10
	Solo: Stief, Øersted Pedersen
7	Blue (P. Mikkelborg)	6:35
8	Electric Red [Red] (P. Mikkelborg)	4:17
	Alternate version of "Red"
9	Indigo (P. Mikkelborg)	6:02
	Davis out. Solo: Ørsted Pedersen, Clausen (p)
10	Violet (P. Mikkelborg)	9:00
	Solo: McLaughlin


1 Intro 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332, Curcio GdJ-01 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
2 White 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332, Curcio GdJ-01 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
3 Yellow 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
4 Orange 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia CSK 1869, CBS (G) CD-27200262, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
5 Red 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia CSK 1869, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
6 Green 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
7 Blue 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia CSK 1869, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
8 Electric Red 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
9 Indigo 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)
10 Violet 12" LP: Columbia C2X 45332 CD: Columbia CK 45332, Columbia CK 63962, Sony SRCS 5728, Sony SRCS 9327, Sony SRCS 9743, Sony SICP 844, Sony SICJ 88, Sony SICJ 30110, Columbia CSK 1869, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 52)

Davis' tpt part on "White" is overdubbed from two takes done later in the studio by Palle Mikkelborg. Davis and Niels Eje (oboe) play over pre-recorded music from the Leonie Sonning award concert on December 14.

"Electric Red" is an alternate version of "Red."

According to the notes to the reissue of Aura (Columbia CK-63962), "on the original CD release of Aura, the opening section of 'Green' was included as part of the end of 'Red'... 'Indigo' now contains a five-second brass intro not included on the Original LP release."

A pre-recorded tape with Eva Hess Taysen's overdubbed vocal tracks, recorded early December 1984, was used. Mikkelborg overdubbed the brass parts and Bo Stief re-recorded several inserts during sessions on February 1-3.

The recording session took place over five days from January 31 until February 4:

The first day, January 31. Davis with the rhythm section of the Danish Radio Big Band:
Miles Davis (tpt); Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen, Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); Bjarne Roupé (g); Bo Stief (el-b); Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Ethan Weisgard (Latin perc); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Palle Mikkelborg (arr, cond).

The second day, February 1: Davis with the rhythm section of the Danish Radio Big Band:
Miles Davis (tpt); Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen, Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); Bjarne Roupé (g); Bo Stief (el-b),; Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Ethan Weisgard (Latin perc); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Niels Eje (oboe); Lillian Tørnquist (harp); Palle Mikkelborg (arr, cond).

The third day, February 2. Davis with the Danish Radio Big Band:
Miles Davis (tpt); Benny Rosenfeld, Palle Bolvig, Idrees Sulieman, Jens Winther, Perry Knudsen (tpt, flh); Vincent Nilsson, Ture Larsen, Ole Kurt Jensen (tb); Jens Engel (bass tb); Axel Windfeld (bass tb, tuba); Jan Zum Vohrde (as, ss, fl); Jesper Thilo (as, ss, fl, cl); Per Carsten (as, fl); Bent Jædig (ss, ts, fl); Uffe Karskov (ts, fl, alto fl, cl); Flemming Madsen (bs, fl, cl, bcl); Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen, Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); John McLaughlin, Bjarne Roupé (g); Bo Stief(el-b); Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Ethan Weisgard (Latin perc); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Vincent Wilburn Jr. (Simmons d); Palle Mikkelborg (arr, cond).

The fourth day, February 3. Davis with the Danish Radio Big Band:
Miles Davis (tpt); Benny Rosenfeld, Palle Bolvig, Idrees Sulieman, Jens Winther, Perry Knudsen (tpt, flh); Vincent Nilsson, Ture Larsen, Ole Kurt Jensen (tb); Jens Engel (bass tb); Axel Windfeld (bass tb, tuba); Jan Zum Vohrde (as, ss, fl); Jesper Thilo (as, ss, fl, cl); Per Carsten (as, fl); Bent Jædig (ss, ts, fl); Uffe Karskov (ts, fl, alto fl, cl); Flemming Madsen (bs, fl, cl, bcl); Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen, Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); Bjarne Roupé (g); Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b); Bo Stief (el-b); Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Ethan Weisgard (Latin perc); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Vincent Wilburn Jr. (Simmons d); Palle Mikkelborg (arr, cond).

The fifth day, February 4. Davis with the Danish Radio Big Band:
Miles Davis (tpt); Benny Rosenfeld, Palle Bolvig, Idrees Sulieman, Jens Winther, Perry Knudsen (tpt, flh); Vincent Nilsson, Ture Larsen, Ole Kurt Jensen (tb); Jens Engel (bass tb); Axel Windfeld (bass tb, tuba); Jan Zum Vohrde (as, ss, fl); Jesper Thilo (as, ss, fl, cl); Per Carsten (as, fl); Bent Jædig (ss, ts, fl); Uffe Karskov (ts, fl, alto fl, cl); Flemming Madsen (bs, fl, cl, bcl); Ole Kock Hansen, Thomas Clausen, Kenneth Knudsen (keyb); Bjarne Roupé (g); Bo Stief (el-b); Lennart Gruvstedt (d); Ethan Weisgard (Latin perc); Marilyn Mazur (perc); Niels Eje (oboe); Lillian Tørnquist (harp); Palle Mikkelborg (arr, cond).

Danmarks Radio produced a thirty-minute TV program, Days with Miles, documenting the recording of "Aura"; it includes excerpts from the from the first-, second-, fourth-, and final days above.