[light] [dark]

Miles Ahead session details

[Return to main page]

February 18, 1956 (8 items; TT = 32:37)
Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena CA
Soundboard recording (B+)
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); John Coltrane (ts); William "Red" Garland (p); Paul Chambers (b); Philly Joe Jones (d); Gene Norman (ann)

1 Introduction (Gene Norman) 1:35
2 Max is Making Wax (O. Pettiford) 4:33
3 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) 9:23
4 Introduction (Gene Norman) 1:06
5 It Never Entered My Mind (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 5:17

Coltrane out
6 Woody 'n' You (D. Gillespie) 5:45
7 Salt Peanuts (D. Gillespie-K. Clarke) 4:33
8 The Theme (with voiceover) (M. Davis) 0:25


1 Introduction (Gene Norman)
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

2 Max is Making Wax
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

3 Walkin'
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

4 Introduction (Gene Norman)
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

5 It Never Entered My Mind
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

6 Woody 'n' You
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

7 Salt Peanuts
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750

8 The Theme (with voiceover)
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 94750


The Davis Quintet performed as part of the Pacific Jazz Festival produced by Gene Norman. After spending the Christmas holidays in Chicago (and playing at the Birdland Show Lounge in the Pershing Hotel from December 21-January 1 and the Park City Bowl on New Year's Day), the Quintet headed to southern California, where they were booked at Jazz City, Los Angeles (January 6-19) and the Blackhawk Supper Club, San Francisco (January 24-February 5). They returned to Jazz City in Los Angeles in mid- to late February after the Blackhawk engagement, and it was during this time that they appeared at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In early March Coltrane, Chambers, and Jones joined Kenny Drew in the studios for a session released under Paul Chambers' name on the Jazz West label, Chambers' Music (Jazz West LP 7). After that the Quintet headed back east: Graystone Ballroom, Detroit (March 12); Loop Lounge, Cleveland (March 19-25); Blue Note, Philadelphia (March 26-31); Ridge Crest Inn, Rochester NY (April 3-8); Oyster Barrel, Quebec City (April 9-15); Storyville Club, Boston (April 16-22); Café Bohemia, New York (May 3-9 and May 25-June 10).

Looking ahead, in May the Quintet participated in the first of two long Prestige studio sessions to fulfill the terms of Davis' contract. Three of the tunes performed here -- "It Never Entered My Mind," "Salt Peanuts," and "Woody 'n' You" -- will be recorded at that session.

Garland liked to quote "Country Gardens" during his solo on "It Never Entered My Mind" -- listen here at 3:47-3:57, where the allusion elicits laughs from the audience, and compare his solo from the Prestige session, May 11, 1956 (3:58-4:06), or the later solo from Café Bohemia, September 15, 1956 (3:40-3:48).

All original content on this website is licensed by Peter Losin under a Creative Commons License