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Miles Ahead session details

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May 21, 1966 (11 items; TT = 94:05)
Oriental Theatre, Portland OR
Soundboard recording (B-)

Miles Davis (tpt); Wayne Shorter (ts); Herbie Hancock (p); Richard Davis (b); Tony Williams (d)

1 Introduction 0:41
2 Autumn Leaves (J. Prevert-J. Mercer-J. Kosma) 10:12
3 Agitation (M. Davis) 9:44

Missing opening measures
4 Stella by Starlight (N. Washington-V. Young) 11:01
5 Gingerbread Boy (J. Heath) 12:16
6 No Blues (incomplete) (M. Davis) 9:55

Cut off during Shorter solo
7 My Funny Valentine (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 11:33

Incomplete (3:13) on So What CDR
8 All Blues (M. Davis) 9:55
9 Who Can I Turn To? (L. Bricusse-A. Newley) 9:17
10 So What (M. Davis) 9:14
11 The Theme (with applause) (M. Davis) 0:17


1 Introduction
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

2 Autumn Leaves
12" LP: Stone OE-66201
CD: Jazz Door JD 1224, Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

3 Agitation
12" LP: Stone OE-66201
CD: Jazz Door JD 1224, Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

4 Stella by Starlight
12" LP: Stone OE-66201
CD: Jazz Door JD 1224, Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

5 Gingerbread Boy
12" LP: Stone OE-66201
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

6 No Blues (incomplete)
12" LP: Stone OE-66201
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

7 My Funny Valentine
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

8 All Blues
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

9 Who Can I Turn To?
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

10 So What
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880

11 The Theme (with applause)
CD: Mega Disc Legendary (no number), Sunburn 9339880


"My Funny Valentine" is from a different source, and the version in circulation is a bit more than a half-tone flat. The time listed above is from a pitch-corrected version. Tapes in circulation often include "My Funny Valentine" as an extra tune at the end, after "The Theme," but I believe it belongs between "No Blues" and "All Blues." There is a bit of finger-snapping at the end of the applause after "My Funny Valentine," and this matches the finger-snapping at the beginning of "All Blues." And from a programmatic point of view it's unlikely that "All Blues" would have followed directly after "No Blues."

Davis was hospitalized in January 1966 for liver problems, and he spent the next several months recuperating. Once again, the other members of the Quintet participated in several Blue Note sessions:

Wayne Shorter, Adam's Apple (Shorter, Hancock: February 3 and 24);
Bobby Hutcherson, Happenings (Hancock: February 8);
Freddie Hubbard, Blue Spirits (Hancock: March 5);
Lee Morgan, Delightful-Lee (Shorter: April 8)

Late in the spring the Quintet was back at the Village Vanguard (April 1-3 and 8-10, April 29-May 1, May 6-7 and 13-14). The Quintet (with Richard Davis subbing for Ron Carter) also played some western venues in April-May 1966, beginning with the Longhorn Jazz Festival in Austin (April 3). An engagement at Detroit's Masonic Temple (May 8) was canceled, as was another in Washington at the Bohemian Caverns on (May 23-28). In addition to the Portland show on this date (sponsored by Portland State College, and recorded for broadcast by KPSU, the college radio station), the Quintet played at Stanford University Auditorium on May 22. Jack Chambers (Milestones) claims that the Davis Quintet was booked at Shelly's Manne-Hole from May 24-June 5, but the scheduled acts during this period were Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio (May 10-24); the Gerald Wilson Big Band (May 26-June 5), and the Chico Hamilton Group (June 7-17). The "Herbie Hancock Quartet" -- the Quintet minus Davis -- was booked at the Both/And in San Francisco (June 7-19).

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