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Miles Ahead session details

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August 5, 1955 (4 items; TT = 30:51)
Rudy van Gelder Studio, Hackensack NJ
Commercial for Prestige

Miles Davis (tpt); Jackie McLean (as); Milt Jackson (vb); Ray Bryant (p); Percy Heath (b); Arthur Taylor (d)

1 Dr. Jackle (J. McLean) 8:52
2 Bitty Ditty (T. Jones) 6:34
3 Minor March (J. McLean) 8:14
4 Changes (R. Bryant) 7:11


1 Dr. Jackle
12" LP: Prestige 7034, Prestige P-012 (12 LP), Victor SMJ-6530, Victor VIJ-5090/5101 (12 LP)
CD: Fantasy OJC-012, Prestige PRCD 11004, Prestige 8PCD-012, DCC GZS-1113, Victor VICJ-23604, Victor VICJ-40225/32, Victor VICJ-60343, Universal UCCO-9092, Universal UCCO-5094, Victor VICJ-2047

2 Bitty Ditty
12" LP: Prestige 7034, Prestige P-012 (12 LP), Victor SMJ-6530, Victor VIJ-5090/5101 (12 LP)
CD: Fantasy OJC-012, Prestige 8PCD-012, DCC GZS-1113, Victor VICJ-23604, Victor VICJ-40225/32, Victor VICJ-60343, Universal UCCO-9092, Universal UCCO-5094, Victor VICJ-2047

3 Minor March
12" LP: Prestige 7034, Prestige P-012 (12 LP), Victor SMJ-6530, Victor VIJ-5090/5101 (12 LP)
CD: Fantasy OJC-012, Prestige FCD 60015, Prestige 8PCD-012, DCC GZS-1113, Victor VICJ-23604, Victor VICJ-40225/32, Victor VICJ-60343, Universal UCCO-9092, Universal UCCO-5094, Victor VICJ-2047

4 Changes
12" LP: Prestige 7034, Prestige P-012 (12 LP), Victor SMJ-6530, Victor VIJ-5090/5101 (12 LP)
CD: Fantasy OJC-012, Prestige 8PCD-012, DCC GZS-1113, Victor VICJ-23604, Victor VICJ-40225/32, Victor VICJ-60343, Universal UCCO-9092, Universal UCCO-5094, Victor VICJ-2047


This as an all-star date produced by Bob Weinstock. McLean, who by this time had his own recording contract and would soon record his first session as a leader, plays only on "Dr. Jackle" and "Minor March." Bryant had been the house pianist at Philadelphia's Blue Note Club, where he and Davis may have played together.

On "Dr. Jackle" the solos are by Jackson (2x), Davis (4x), McLean (1x), Bryant (1x), and Jackson again (1x). Davis returned to this tune in 1958 with John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.

On "Bitty Ditty" the solos are by Davis (4x), Bryant (4x), Jackson (4x) and Davis again (1x).

On "Minor March," the fastest tempo of the day, the solos are by McLean (2x), Jackson (3x), Davis (5x), and Bryant (3x).

On Bryant's "Changes" -- called "Blues Changes" on the original label -- the solos are by Jackson (3x), Davis (muted, 6x), and Bryant (5x), with a closing chorus by Davis.

"Changes" and "Bitty Ditty" are reversed on the jacket and label of Prestige 7034.

During this time the Davis Quintet -- Davis, Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones -- were booked at the Café Bohemia, but so far no recordings have surfaced. (Jack Chambers [Milestones] and Ken Vail [Miles' Diary] both claim that "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Walkin'" from a July 13, 1955 broadcast were recorded, but the tunes they refer to are from May 17, 1958.) Rollins soon left the group to kick his heroin habit. Davis replaced him first with John Gilmore, then, in late September, with John Coltrane.

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