Session details: Cellar Door Club (December 19, 1970)

Miles Ahead session details

December 19, 1970 (15 items; TT = 165:03)

Cellar Door Club, Washington DC

Commercial for Columbia

Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Gary Bartz (ss, as); Keith Jarrett (el-p, org); John McLaughlin (g); Michael Henderson (el-b); Jack De Johnette (d); Airto Moreira (perc, voc); Conrad Roberts (narr)

First set
1	Band warming up	0:42
2	Directions (J. Zawinul)	14:28
	Theme stated at 2:53, 6:46
3	Honky Tonk (incomplete) (M. Davis)	21:24
	Gap at 20:17, several seconds missing
4	What I Say (M. Davis)	16:42
5	Sanctuary (closing theme, applause) (W. Shorter-M. Davis)	1:00

Second set
6	Directions (J. Zawinul)	14:44
	Theme stated at 2:59. Two fragments (0:01 + 3:14) on G 30954 and equivalents
7	Honky Tonk (M. Davis)	21:14
	Three fragments (0:08 + 4:56 + 6:00) on G 30954 and equivalents
8	What I Say (M. Davis)	20:51
9	Sanctuary (closing theme, applause) (W. Shorter-M. Davis)	0:39
	Incomplete (0:18) on G 30954 and equivalents

Third set
10	Directions (J. Zawinul)	18:50
	Theme stated at 3:40, 5:56, 17:39. Four fragments (2:54 + 1:58 + 11:20 + 0:35) on G 30954 and equivalents
11	Funky Tonk (M. Davis)	23:45
	Four fragments (3:22 + 0:05 + 2:04 + 16:34) on G 30954 and equivalents
12	Sanctuary (W. Shorter-M. Davis)	2:02
	Fragment (0:12) on G 30954 and equivalents
13	It's About That Time (M. Davis)	6:42
	Incomplete (6:21) on G 30954 and equivalents
14	Sanctuary (closing theme, applause) (W. Shorter-M. Davis)	1:17

Overdub
15	Narration by Conrad Roberts (C. Roberts)	0:43
	"Inamorata, mission: music, masculinity, master of the art... music. Who is this music that which description may never justify? Can the ocean be described? Fathomless music, body of all that is, live everlastingly... Man initiate inamorata, your music are tomorrow's unknown known life. I love tomorrow..."


6 Directions 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, Columbia C5X 45000, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C4K 45000, Columbia C4K 86569, Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, CBS/Sony 80DP 5430/3, Sony SICP 5037/40, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
7 Honky Tonk 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
8 What I Say 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
9 Sanctuary (closing theme, applause) 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
10 Directions 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
11 Funky Tonk 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
12 Sanctuary 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
13 It's About That Time 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910/5, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922
14 Sanctuary (closing theme, applause) CD: Columbia C6K 93614, Sony SICP 910/5
15 Narration by Conrad Roberts 12" LP: Columbia G 30954, Four Men with Beards 4M 809LP, CBS/Sony SONP 50452/3, CBS/Sony SOPJ 88/9, CBS/Sony 28AP 2153/4, CBS/Sony 36AP 1773/4 CD: Columbia C2K 65135, Columbia C2S 65135, Columbia C6K 93614, CBS/Sony 50DP 707/8, Sony SRCS 5715/6, Sony SRCS 9123/4, Sony SRCS 9739/40, Sony SIGP 24/5, Sony SICP 839/40, SICP 1225/6, SICP 20063/4, Sony SICP 4240/1, Sony SICJ 10012/3, Sony SICP 910, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922

The Sextet seems to have performed three sets per night during this week-long engagement (December 14-19)

McLaughlin is clearly audible on all three sets. So Mort Goode's claim that he played only during the second and third sets (The Inner Sleeve, vol. 72, p. A4) is incorrect.

In an interview with Teo Macero, Chris Albertson describes the 87 minutes of live material on Live-Evil as a "distillation" of "ten to fifteen" reels of tape recorded during the group's performances at the Cellar Door ("The Unmasking of Miles Davis," Saturday Review, November 27, 1971, p. 87.). As far as I can tell, all of the Cellar Door material included on Live-Evil is from December 19th. Here is a rough comparison of the issued material with the unedited masters:

Sivad	Master
0:00-0:01	Directions (2nd set) 0:00-0:01 (drum roll)
0:02-3:24	Directions (2nd set) 11:30-14:44 + Honky Tonk 0:00-0:08
3:25-4:14	Honky Tonk (studio, 5/19/70)
4:15-9:11	Honky Tonk (2nd set) 5:23-10:20
9:12-15:12	Honky Tonk (2nd set) 15:13-21:14

What I Say	Master
0:00-20:50	What I Say (2nd set) 0:00-20:50
20:51-21:09	Sanctuary (2nd set) 0:00-0:18

Funky Tonk	Master
0:00-2:54	Directions (3rd set) 0:47-3:41 (theme excised)
2:55-4:53	Directions (3rd set) 3:54-5:51 (theme excised)
4:54-16:14	Directions (3rd set) 6:20-17:39 (theme excised)
16:15-16:50	Directions (3rd set) 18:03-18:39
16:51-20:12	Funky Tonk (3rd set) 0:00-3:21
20:13-20:18	Funky Tonk (3rd set) 3:59-4:04
20:19-23:23	Funky Tonk (3rd set) 4:15-7:20

Inamorata	Master
0:00-16:34	Funky Tonk (3rd set) 7:21-23:55
16:35-16:47	Sanctuary (3rd set) 1:50-2:02
16:47-23:08	It's About That Time (3rd set) 0:00-6:21
23:09-26:08	It's About That Time 0:00-2:59 [not from Cellar Door]* Narration by Conrad Roberts first 0:43
26:08-26:28	Sanctuary 0:00-0:20 [not from Cellar Door]*

* As noted, the final two pieces (= 23:09-26:28 of the issued "Inamorata") are not from the Cellar Door. The source has not been identified, but it is an inferior live recording, probably supplied by Teo Macero.

The chart above makes it clear that several of the titles used for this music when it was released in 1971 are just different names for music already known under other titles. This is why I have not followed Columbia in referring to Jarrett's solo at the beginning of "Funky Tonk" as "Improvisation," or in referring to "Funky Tonk" itself as "Inamorata." Jarrett's improvisation is a part of "Funky Tonk," which always begins with a distinctive coded phrase played on the trumpet, after which Jarrett improvises before the group rejoins for the rest of the tune, until the closing "Sanctuary" theme.

Chick Corea and Dave Holland left the Davis Septet to form Circle in late September, after returning from a brief post-Isle of Wight European tour. Davis hired Michael Henderson (then 19 years old) as Holland's replacement. For some reason this newly constituted Sextet was never brought into the studio. The group played in the Brookhaven Gymnasium, Suffolk Community College (November 25), and in the SUSB Gymnasium at SUNY Stony Brook (December 12), and they were booked at the Loyola Fieldhouse, New Orleans (December 20). There are some mystery recordings in circulation that probably date from this period.

Thanks to Jan Lohmann for help with this session, and to Ron Fritts for help with Davis' itinerary.