Session details: WPIX Studio (January 17, 1949)

Miles Ahead session details

January 17, 1949 (8 items; TT = 19:07)

WPIX Studio, New York NY

WPIX-TV broadcast (B)

Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Kai Winding (tb); Buddy De Franco (cl); Eli "Lucky" Thompson (ts); Charlie Ventura (ts, bs); Al Haig (p); Teddy Wilson (p); Oscar Pettiford (b); Shelly Manne (d); Unknown (ann)

1	The Squirrel (T. Dameron)	4:20
	Voiceover 0:23-1:30: "Well, good evening, music lovers, and welcome once again to another WPIX jazz concert. We're kinda happy to have you with us this time, because, ah, we're observing some very, very conspicuous firsts -- our first readings of bebop, and a little while later during the program itself, two awards made by Metronome magazine. Our guests this evening, the lovely Carol Bruce, from the very successful musical Along Fifth Avenue, and the gentleman to her right is Mr. George Simon, the editor of Metronome magazine. More about them in just a moment, but right now I'd like to, ah, bring to your attention some of our personnel: there's Miles Davis on trumpet over there, and Lucky Thompson on sax. Buddy DeFranco'll be playing the clarinet this evening, Kai Winding on trambone [sic], and Oscar Pettiford himself is up there on the bass. Rattling the skins is Shelly Manne, and the fella with the built-in hairdo is, ah, Al Haig on the piano. And they're doing things to a little item called 'The Squirrel', I'll have you know."
2	Introduction	0:04
	"...Suite 88, with a little thing called 'Fine and Dandy', willya?"
3	Fine and Dandy (P. James-K. Swift)	2:20
	Wilson and Manne (duet)
4	Introduction	0:09
	"Wonderful, Teddy, wonderful. There you... Jack, Jack! The very charming Miles guy over there, Miles Davis, with, ah, a tune called 'Anthropology'. This is bebop!"
5	Anthropology (D. Gillespie-C. Parker)	3:35
6	Body and Soul (J.W. Green-E. Heyman-R. Sour-F. Eyton)	4:54
7	Introduction	0:05
	"Wonderful, kids, wonderful. Let's drop the beat on 'How High the Moon'. Shelly..."
8	How High the Moon (incomplete) (N. Hamilton-M. Lewis)	3:40
	Fade out at 3:40


1 The Squirrel CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3
2 Introduction CD: FAP 001/3
3 Fine and Dandy CD: FAP 001/3
4 Introduction CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3
5 Anthropology CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3
6 Body and Soul CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3
7 Introduction 12" LP: Big Molly CVRR 8294 CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3
8 How High the Moon (incomplete) 12" LP: Big Molly CVRR 8294 CD: Royal Jazz RJD-514, FAP 001/3

This performance was broadcast on WPIX (channel 11) in New York at 8:00 pm. It was listed in the Brooklyn Eagle as "Jazz Concert: Charlie Ventura, Shelley Manne, Guests."

From late December until January 20 an Oscar Pettiford-led All-Star band -- advertised in the New York Daily News as "Fred Robbins all star BOB CONCERT GROUP" -- was booked at the Clique Club on Broadway. Winding, Thompson, and De Franco played in that band, along with Fats Navarro, Milt Jackson, Bud Powell, Pettiford, and Kenny Clarke. Sarah Vaughan and the George Shearing Trio also appeared at the Clique Club during this period. Davis joined the all-star band at the Clique Club toward the end of its stay.

I am grateful to Leif Bo Petersen for correcting my account of this session.