Miles Ahead Session Details

August 21, 1962 (48 items; TT = 55:19)
Columbia Studio A, New York NY
Commercial for Columbia
Miles Davis Sextet plus Bob Dorough
Miles Davis (tpt); Frank Rehak (tb); Wayne Shorter (ts); Paul Chambers (b); Jimmy Cobb (d); Willie Bobo [William Correa] (bgo); Bob Dorough (p, voc)
1 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (rehearsal) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:21
2 Studio chatter 0:14

"Okay, we'll play that back... Wait, wait, wait, one second, one second... Okay, this is Co 75724, Blue Xmas, one..."
3 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 1 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:08
4 Studio chatter 0:02

"Two..."
5 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 2) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 2:30
6 Studio chatter 0:13

"All right, let's play that back." Davis practicing, then "Take three..."
7 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 3 (fs)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:08
8 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 4 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 1:19
9 Studio chatter 0:51

Group noodling, then "Okay, here we go. Stand by, please... Yeah, this is take five..." Then exchanges between Chambers and Macero, and Macero and Dorough: "Hey Teo? Yeah, Paul? Why don't you order us some beer or somethin'?" and "Like UP? You want UP? What? Your P pops. Okay. Stand by, this is still take five..."
10 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 5) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 2:31
11 Studio chatter 0:09

"Let's do one more. Ah, take six..."
12 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 6 (fs)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:06
13 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 6 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:41
14 Studio chatter 0:15

Macero: "We're still rolling. Take seven. Bob, watch your Ps" Dorough: "Okay... I gotta say 'em."
15 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 7 (fs)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:09
16 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 7 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:20
17 Studio chatter 0:15

"Eight..."
18 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 8 (fs)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:06
19 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 8 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:18
20 Studio chatter 0:05

"Okay, here we go. This is nine..."
21 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 9 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:34
22 Studio chatter 0:05
23 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 9 (fs)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:05
24 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 9 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 1:03
25 Studio chatter 0:15

"Here we go. Ten..."
26 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 10) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 2:40
27 Studio chatter 0:12

"Twelve..." [sic]
28 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 11 (inc)) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 0:56
29 Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 12) (M. Davis-B. Dorough) 2:41
30 Studio chatter 0:04

"Ain't nothin' but the blues, take one..."
31 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:43

After a brief false start (0:05), Dorough plays the opening ascending progression; two more false starts (0:22-0:40, 0:51-1:02); Dorough plays the passage again, then says "you got a wrong note in there, Miles"; Dorough plays, Davis follows; another incomplete take (1:24-2:42).
32 Studio chatter 0:04

"We'll play that back..."
33 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:41

Begins with run-through (2:00); brief discussion between Davis and Dorough, then Dorough says "what, just the rhythm?"; a slow-tempo run through the changes without soloists (2:14-2:40); Dorough asks, "Third bar?"
34 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:26

Cobb begins with sticks; Davis says "play the brushes, Jimmy... Here we go, from the top, slow..." Slow run-through of whole song (0:08-2:27).
35 Studio chatter 0:23

Davis noodling, then "Co 75735, Nothing Like You Before, take one..."
36 Nothing Like You (take 1 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:18
37 Studio chatter 0:06

Davis: "Okay Bob, just me and you... Wait." Macero: "Two..."
38 Nothing Like You (take 2 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:08

Dorough plays and sings.
39 Studio chatter 0:04

"Just the end, Bob..."
40 Nothing Like You (take 2 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:14
41 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 4:46

Davis: "Play it again..." They play (0:02-0:27); at 0:22 Davis complains "you fuckin' lost me!" Dorough: "I was playin'... Okay." Davis: "Okay, now play ba-ba-bah, bah." Dorough: "Okay... was in A-flat, isn't it?" Davis: "G-flat." Dorough: "Huh..." Macero: "You wanna take this from the top?" Davis: "Take it from your cup." (Laughter) Dorough begins the opening ascending progresssion, and Davis complains, "No Bob..." Dorough: "It's A-flat" (plays). Davis sings "bap-bap-bap-baba... (Dorough plays) It's G-flat major seven..." They play (0:58-1:18, 1:26-2:20). Dorough, Cobb, and Correa begin (2:36-2:42), and Davis complains, "Play the chords so I can hear -- I can't hear you, and I can't hear the chords." Dorough: "It ain't loud enough?" They play (2:52-3:03). Davis: "Five bars after the introduction, all right? Right there. One, two, three, four." False start (3:08-3:12); Davis interrupts: "Jimmy, some time! One, two, three, four... Come on, Paul, 4/4. One, two, three, four..." Rhythm section only (3:29-3:46); Davis interrupts: "Try it again, try it again. Okay? Five... five bars, uh, right on the same place. One, two, three, four..." Rhythm section only (3:57-4:39); Davis begins whistling the trumpet part at 4:22, then adds, "Don't play no motherfuckin' chords there."
42 Studio chatter 1:18

Fred Plaut: "All right, go ahead." Macero: "You gotta put that in another hole... Freddy, put that in another hole." Davis: "I know a hole you can put it in." (Laughter.) Macero: "Freddy's been trying to do that to me for a long time. Okay, Bob, you wanna just say a few words?" Dorough: "Nothing like you has ever been seen before..." Davis: "That's right." Dorough: "Nothing like you existed in days..." Macero: "You couldn't hear?" (Dorough noodling on piano.) Davis: "It's made from an elephant hand, man..." Macero: "No, we got those from leftover bombers..." (Undecipherable exchange.) Davis: "Bring me a wig and I can wear it..." (Laughter.) Macero: "Here y'go, take three..."
43 Nothing Like You (take 3 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:12
44 Studio chatter 0:03

"Four..."
45 Nothing Like You (take 4 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:18
46 Nothing Like You (take ? (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:14
47 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:20

Davis and Dorough work out a chord progression.
48 Nothing Like You (take ? (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:17
49 Studio chatter 0:06

Davis: "Okay, just me and you on the chords. The introduction, then the chords..."
50 Nothing Like You (take ? (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:12
51 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 3:54

Davis: "Tell me how many beats you all are playin' before..." Dorough: "Bar, four beats." Plays (0:08-0:14). Davis: "Uh, that fifth bar..." Dorough: "At the fifth bar?" Davis: "Yeah." They play (0:20-0:31). Davis: "A-flat?" Dorough: "Yeah." Davis: "I'm not hearin' it." Dorough plays. Davis/Dorough discuss changes (undecipherable); Dorough: "I got everything in it." Davis: "Well, play that bar so I can hear it." Dorough play the chords. They play (0:53-1:03); Davis interrupts: "What was that right there, man?" Dorough: "A-flat minor seventh." Davis: "Yeah, G-flat?" Dorough: "Yeah." Davis: "Now play G-flat." (Dorough plays.) "Now play it again, fifth bar..." They play (1:16-1:30). Davis: "Right here, man, play 'em again." They play (1:32-1:40). Davis: "Try again." They play (1:42-1:59). Davis: "Play it again..." They play (2:01-2:13). Davis: "How are you comin' out of there?" Dorough: "Fifth bar?" Davis: "Yeah." They play (2:31-2:42). Davis: "You ain't playin' that right there, y'know." Dorough: "Huh?" Davis plays a progression, Dorough plays chord changes (2:47-2:59). Davis: "How many beats you play, uh, B-flat major?" Dorough: "Another bar." Davis: "Two beats... A-flat?" Dorough: "A-flat and B-flat." Davis: "G-flat -- a bar?" Dorough: "A bar, yeah." Davis: "Then G-flat to..." Dorough: "F-sharp minor, then B." (Plays changes.) Davis: "We're gonna try it out." Macero: "Okay." Davis: "Think I should play this in the mute -- the introduction -- or play it all open?" Macero and Dorough: "In the mute, I like it in the mute." Davis: "You mean all the background? Okay, I'll play the whole fuckin' thing." Macero: "Okay, very nice. We're rolling..."
52 Nothing Like You (take ? (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:11
53 Studio chatter 0:20

Davis: "Hey Bob, can you sing what I'm playin'?" Dorough: "Yeah." Davis: "Okay, just, just a little bridge that the band will just play." Dorough: "Okay." Davis: "But don't you sing... I mean, don't you play. Y'know what I mean?" Dorough: "Just sing, okay." Macero: "Okay, here we go, six..."
54 Nothing Like You (take 6 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:05
55 Studio chatter 0:12

Davis: "Hey Teo, I wanna hear..." Macero: "Okay, we'll play it back... Okay, take seven..."
56 Nothing Like You (take 7 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:03
57 Nothing Like You (take 7 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:39
58 Studio chatter 0:17

"Yeah, eight..."
59 Nothing Like You (take 8 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:03
60 Nothing Like You (take 8 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:39
61 Studio chatter 0:08

"Nine..."
62 Nothing Like You (take 9) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:04
63 Studio chatter 0:06

"Ten..."
64 Nothing Like You (take 10 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:02
65 Nothing Like You (take 10 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:01
66 Nothing Like You (rehearsal) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 2:53

Dorough: "I goofed, Miles... Uh, hit the wrong note or somethin', wrong word." Davis: "Where?" Dorough: "Near the end... (inaudible.) Where's that? Your solo?" (He sings.) "And then go back? Nothing like you has ever been seen... No-thing like you, no-thing like you, nothing like you has ever been seen before... You're like a dream come true..." (Someone whistles tune). "Okay, yeah, G-flat, right?" They play (0:43-1:25). Davis plays the ascending passage of the theme. Macero: "Yeah, we'll record this. Ah, Bob, is that last babada-babada-babada-babada-ba -- that high note, is that right?" Dorough: "Is that high note right?" Macero: "Yeah." Dorough: "Sure." Macero: "Shouldn't that be in unison?" Dorough: "Ah, no, I went up above him." Macero: "Yeah, a third above?" Dorough: "If I want... No, um, a second. It's all right if I want to, ain't it?" Macero: "Yeah, sure, I don't care." They play, beginning with 'You're like a dream come true...' (1:58-2:40). Davis: "It should work, Teo. Play it." Macero: "Could we do one all the way from the top? Yeah, let's do one from the top. Hold it one second..."
67 Nothing Like You (take 11 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:07
68 Nothing Like You (take 11 (inc)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 1:11
69 Studio chatter 0:09

"Twelve..."
70 Nothing Like You (take 12 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:04
71 Nothing Like You (take 12 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:03
72 Nothing Like You (take 12 (fs)) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 0:03
73 Nothing Like You (take 12) (F. Landesman-B. Dorough) 1:56

Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) (take 12)
12" LP: Columbia CL 1893 (= CS 8693), Mosaic MQ11-164, CBS (F) BPG 62637, CBS/Sony SONP 50199
CD: Columbia CK 40166, Sony Special Products RCAB 59970, CBS/Sony CSCS 5030, Columbia CXK 67397, Columbia CXK 90923, Sony SRCS 7945/50, Sony SICP 657/62

Nothing Like You (take 12)
12" LP: Columbia CL 2732 (= CS 9532), Nippon Columbia YS-952, CBS/Sony SONP 50185, CBS/Sony SOPL 166, CBS/Sony 18AP 2070, CBS/Sony 23AP 2570, CBS/Sony 25AP 766, Mosaic MQ11-164
CD: Columbia CK 52974, Columbia CK 65680, Columbia CXK 67397, Columbia CXK 90923, CBS/Sony 32DP 725, Sony SRCS 5708, Sony SRCS 9115, Sony SRCS 7945/50, Sony SICP 657/62, Sony SRCS 9735, Sony SIGP 27, Sony SICP 828, Sony SICP 1217

Davis, Columbia's best-selling jazz artist, was persuaded to contribute a title to a Christmas compilation album to be in the stores in December 1962. According to Jack Chambers (Milestones), Davis complained to Dorough, "What the fuck am I supposed to play for them? 'White Christmas'?" The lyrics are by Dorough and the arrangement is by Gil Evans. Davis plays some very tasty obbligatos behind Dorough's vocals, and Wayne Shorter -- taking a break from the Jazz Messengers -- has an excellent one-chorus solo on the issued take.

There are no instrumental breaks in "Nothing Like You," but there are some nice Davis/Rehak unison passages, Davis again plays very nice obbligatos, and the arrangement is vintage Evans. Many listeners dismiss these titles as fluff in the Davis catalog, but Davis and Macero took these tunes seriously enough to devote nearly an hour of studio time to getting them right (twelve takes and several rehearsals apiece!).

Sessions Records Labels Search Tunes Covers Main FAQ

All original content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons License