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Miles Ahead session details

[Return to 1970s sessions]

May 21, 1970 (10 items; TT = 77:39)
Columbia Studio C, New York NY
Commercial for Columbia
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Keith Jarrett (el-p); John McLaughlin (g); Jack De Johnette (d); Airto Moreira (perc)

1 Konda (rehearsal) (M. Davis) 0:09
2 Konda (take 1) (M. Davis) 0:36
3 Konda (take 2) (M. Davis) 4:35
4 Konda (take 3) (M. Davis) 7:27
5 Konda (take 4) (M. Davis) 7:37
6 Konda (take 5) (M. Davis) 6:14
7 Konda (take 6) (M. Davis) 5:29
8 Konda (LP composite) (M. Davis) 14:02
9 Konda (CD composite) (M. Davis) 16:42
10 Konda (alternate composite) (M. Davis) 14:48

This composite take is longer than the version originally issued on Columbia KC2 36474, and shorter than the one issued on Columbia C5K 90926. See below for comparison.


8 Konda (LP composite)
12" LP: Columbia KC2 36474, CBS/Sony 38AP 2017/8
CD: CBS/Sony CSCS 5135/6, Sony SRCS 9310/1, Sony SRCS 9761/62, Sony SICJ 30113/4, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 12)

9 Konda (CD composite)
CD: Columbia Legacy C5K 86359, Columbia Legacy C5K 90926, Sony SICP 431/5


"Konda" is a composite pieced together from the materials listed above. There are three composite versions, one issued on Directions (Columbia KC2 36474, etc.), another issued on the Jack Johnson Sessions set (Columbia Legacy C5K 86359), and a third which remains unissued. The long version begins with a electric piano introduction that was omitted from the original issued version, and each uses slightly different combinations of the raw materials. Here is a guide to the three extant composite versions:

LP version (14:02) from Directions
00:00-01:25 Take 4, 0:03-1:28
01:25-01:45 Take 5, 2:25-2:46
01:45-02:02 Take 4, 2:57-3:14
02:02-05:37 Take 4, 3:37-7:31
05:37-09:02 Take 5, 2:34-5:58
09:02-14:02 Take 6, 0:03-5:25

CD version (16:28) from Jack Johnson Sessions
00:00-00:37 Take 2, 1:34-2:10
00:37-02:01 Take 2, 2:48-4:12
02:01-03:28 Take 4, 0:03-1:31
03:28-04:01 Take 4, 2:26-3:14
04:01-06:58 Take 4, 3:37-6:33
06:58-07:36 Take 4, 6:56-7:34
07:36-11:03 Take 5, 2:29-5:57
11:03-16:28 Take 6, 0:03-5:25

Unissued composite version (14:48)
00:00-01:27 Take 4, 0:03-1:28
01:27-01:48 Take 4, 2:25-2:46
01:48-02:05 Take 4, 2:57-3:14
02:05-05:10 Take 4, 3:37-6:37
05:10-05:45 Take 6, 6:56-7:31
05:45-09:14 Take 5, 2:34-5:58
09:14-14:48 Take 6, 0:03-5:25

Davis had various groups in the studio throughout the first half of 1970 -- fourteen dates in the first half of the year! Some of the music recorded in the studio during this period -- e.g. "Willie Nelson," "Honky Tonk," "The Mask" -- was immediately added to the live book.

The Davis Septet (with Corea and Jarrett on keyboards) was busy in the summer: Fillmore East, New York (June 17-20); Hampton Roads Coliseum (July 3); Central Park, New York (July 6); Hollywood Bowl (July 10); Randall's Island, New York (July 18); Madison Square Garden, New York (July 25); Shea Stadium, New York (August 6); SUNY Stony Brook (August 16); Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood (August 18). At the end of the summer the Septet played at the Isle of Wight Festival (August 29).

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