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Miles Ahead session details

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August 7, 1959 (2 items; TT = 12:41)
Chicago Stadium, Chicago IL
AFRS radio broadcast (C+)
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (as); Wynton Kelly (p); Paul Chambers (b); Jimmy Cobb (d)

1 Introduction 1:07
2 So What (M. Davis) 11:34


2 So What
CD: Rare Live Recordings RLR 88666, United Archives NUA 10


This was recorded at the first Playboy Jazz Festival for Armed Forces Radio Service's This is Jazz; broadcast on AFRS January 22, 1960. This broadcast also included several tunes performed by David Allyn (voc).

Jimmy Heath, member of the Davis Sextet after Coltrane left in early July, couldn't travel to Chicago because he was on parole, so although the "Miles Davis Sextet" was booked at the Playboy Jazz Festival, only the Quintet performed. Other engagements: Toronto (July 22, First Canadian Jazz Festival); Newport Jazz Festival (July 23); Regal Theatre, Chicago (July 24-30); French Lick Jazz Festival (August 2); Chicago Stadium (August 7); Berkshire Music Barn, Lenox (August 9); Birdland, New York (August 13-29); Randall's Island Jazz Festival (August 23).

Davis was beaten outside Birdland on the night of August 25 and was not able to complete the scheduled engagement. Cannonball Adderley left the group at this time, so it reverted to the Miles Davis Quintet. The bookings continued: Cotton Club, Atlantic City NJ (September 1-6); Showboat, Philadelphia (September 7-16); Birdland, New York (September 17-October 7); Assembly Hall, Hunter College, New York (Sunday, October 4, 8:30pm); Academy of Music, Philadelphia (Sunday, October 11); Howard Theatre, Washington DC (October 16-22); Brooklyn Paramount, New York (October 23-29); Birdland, New York (November 5-25); St. Nicholas Arena, New York (Friday, November 27, 9:00 pm); Club 12, Detroit (December 11-20); Regal Theatre, Chicago (December 25-31).

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