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Miles Ahead session details

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June 6, 1972 (6 items; TT = 77:06)
Columbia Studio E, New York NY
Commercial for Columbia

Miles Davis (tpt); Carlos Garnett (as, ts); Bennie Maupin (bcl); Herbie Hancock (el-p, synth); Harold I. Williams (el-p, synth); Lonnie Liston Smith (org); John McLaughlin (g); David Creamer (g); Collin Walcott (sitar); Paul Buckmaster (cello); Michael Henderson (el-b); Jack De Johnette (d, handclaps); Jabali Billy Hart (d, handclaps); Charles Don Alias (perc, handclaps); James Mtume Forman (perc, handclaps); Badal Roy (tabla, handclaps)

1 Helen Butte [rehearsal] (M. Davis) 5:42
2 Helen Butte - Mr. Freedom X (unedited) (M. Davis) 23:26
3 One and One (unedited) (M. Davis) 18:21
4 One and One [Black Satin, part 2] (M. Davis) 6:09
5 Helen Butte [Black Satin, part 3] (M. Davis) 16:48
6 Mr. Freedom X [Black Satin, part 4] (M. Davis) 6:40


2 Helen Butte - Mr. Freedom X (unedited)
CD: Columbia Legacy C6K 06239, Sony SICP 1581/6

3 One and One (unedited)
12" LP: Columbia 67909
CD: Columbia Legacy C6K 06239, Columbia CK 67909, Sony SICP 1581/6, Sony SRCS 8457

4 One and One
12" LP: Columbia KC 31906, Music on Vinyl MOV LP518, CBS/Sony SOPN 100, CBS/Sony SOPL 125, CBS/Sony 20AP 1408, CBS (F) 450472
CD: Columbia CK 53579, Columbia CK 63980, Columbia Legacy C6K 06239, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2171, CBS/Sony 32DP 716, Sony SRCS 5721, Sony SRCS 9125, Sony SRCS 9719, Sony SRGS 4539, Sony SICP 840, Sony SICP 1227, Sony SICP 10091, Sony SICP 20005, Sony SICP 30270, Sony SICJ 30093, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922

5 Helen Butte
12" LP: Columbia KC 31906, Music on Vinyl MOV LP518, CBS/Sony SOPN 100, CBS/Sony SOPL 125, CBS/Sony 20AP 1408, CBS (F) 450472
CD: Columbia CK 53579, Columbia CK 63980, Columbia Legacy C6K 06239, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2171, CBS/Sony 32DP 716, Sony SRCS 5721, Sony SRCS 9125, Sony SRCS 9719, Sony SRGS 4539, Sony SICP 840, Sony SICP 1227, Sony SICP 10091, Sony SICP 20005, Sony SICP 30270, Sony SICJ 30093, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922

6 Mr. Freedom X
12" LP: Columbia KC 31906, Music on Vinyl MOV LP518, CBS/Sony SOPN 100, CBS/Sony SOPL 125, CBS/Sony 20AP 1408, CBS (F) 450472
CD: Columbia CK 53579, Columbia CK 63980, Columbia Legacy C6K 06239, Mobile Fidelity Sound Laboratory UDSACD 2171, CBS/Sony 32DP 716, Sony SRCS 5721, Sony SRCS 9125, Sony SRCS 9719, Sony SRGS 4539, Sony SICP 840, Sony SICP 1227, Sony SICP 10091, Sony SICP 20005, Sony SICP 30270, Sony SICJ 30093, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922


This was Carlos Garnett's first studio session with Davis. He toured briefly with the Davis Nonet in late 1972.

Several splices are audible on "Black Satin," e.g. at 0:34, 1:53, 2:18, 3:43, 4:28; the opening percussion passage is duplicated at the end. And on the shorter "One and One," after splice at 3:22, the passage from 0:14-3:00 is repeated, although mixed slightly differently.

The short issued versions of "One and One," "Helen Butte," and "Mr. Freedom X" are all variations or continuations of "Black Satin." Part of the unedited "One and One" is included on Bill Laswell's Panthalassa (Columbia CK 67909, Sony SRCS 8457) as "What If." In the sessionography included in Paul Tingen's Miles Beyond: Electric Explorations of Miles Davis, 1967-1991 the date for "What If" is given as "possibly June 2," but I've used the more recent information included in the On the Corner Sessions box (Columbia CK7 06239).

According to Tingen and Enrico Merlin, an overdub session was scheduled for July 7, during which several members of Davis' studio ensemble completed the recording of "Black Satin" with additional percussion overdubs, hand claps, etc.

Laswell's Panthalassa also includes a 4:40 remix of "Black Satin." The collaboration Panthalassa: The Remixes (Columbia CK 69897, Sony SRJS 6010, Sony SRCS 8906) includes a 6:17 re-remix of "Black Satin" as well as Laswell's "On the Corner (Subterranean Channel Mix)." The latter appears to combine material from "Black Satin" and "Helen Butte." Finally, there is a 2:44 remix of "Black Satin" on Evolution of the Groove (Columbia Legacy 89152), featuring Charlie Drayton (d, kalimba drum, el-b, g) and Pat Thrall (programming).

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