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Miles Ahead session details

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January 27, 1970 (2 items; TT = 42:12)
Columbia Studio B, New York NY
Commercial for Columbia
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Wayne Shorter (ss); Bennie Maupin (bcl); Chick Corea (el-p); Josef Zawinul (el-p); John McLaughlin (g); Khalil Balakrishna (sitar); Dave Holland (el-b); Billy Cobham (d); Jack De Johnette (d); Airto Moreira (perc)

1 Lonely Fire (M. Davis) 21:07

Edited to 21:08 on Columbia Legacy C4K 65570 and equivalents: brief passages from LP version (e.g. 3:42-3:48 and 5:33-5:41) are excised
2 Guinnevere (D. Crosby) 21:05

Edited introduction on all issues prior to Mosaic MQ6-183 and Columbia Legacy C4K 65570


1 Lonely Fire
12" LP: Columbia PG 32866, CBS/Sony SOPW 5/6, CBS/Sony 20AP 1779/10, CBS/Sony 28AP 2159/60, CBS/Sony 36AP 1779/80, Mosaic MQ6-183, Vinyl Me, Please A017
CD: Columbia Legacy C4K 65570, Columbia Legacy C4K 90924, Columbia Legacy C2K 63973, CBS/Sony 50DP 705/6, Sony SRCS 5713/4, Sony SRCS 9321/2, Sony 8837/40, Sony SICP 669/72, Sony SRCS 9737/8, Sony SRCS 836/7, Sony SICJ 30080/1, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 34)

2 Guinnevere
12" LP: Columbia KC2 36278, CBS/Sony 36AP 1409/10, Mosaic MQ6-183
CD: Columbia Legacy C2K 46862, Columbia Legacy C4K 65570, Columbia Legacy C4K 90924, CBS/Sony CSCS 5340/1, Sony SRCS 9308/9, Sony SRCS 9759/60, Sony SICJ 30111/2, Sony SRCS 8837/40, Columbia Legacy 86975 24922 [= Columbia (F) 86975 52492] (CD 3)


"Lonely Fire," like "Great Expecations" recorded on November 19, is a static piece that repeats a simple theme over a rhythm pattern. It begins and ends with an aria-like rubato section, and in between Davis, Shorter, and Maupin repeat the plaintive theme.

"Lonely Fire" (LP)
0:00-0:22 Introduction
0:22-1:11 Theme (muted)
1:11-2:17 Theme (muted) - Shorter, Maupin
2:17-3:19 Theme (muted)
3:19-4:14 Theme (muted)
4:14-4:54 Theme (muted)
4:54-5:43 Theme (muted)
5:43-6:16 Theme (muted)
6:16-6:44 Theme (muted)
6:44-7:10 Theme (Shorter)
7:10-7:40 Theme (muted)
7:40-8:04 Theme (open)
8:04-8:37 Theme (Maupin)
8:37-9:31 Theme (muted, staccato)
9:31-10:00 Theme (open, staccato)
10:00-10:29 Theme (Shorter)
10:29-11:30 Theme (open)
11:30-15:15 Theme (open) - solo
15:15-15:40 Theme (muted)
15:40-16:06 Theme (open) with groove
16:06-16:46 Theme (open) with groove
16:46-17:54 Theme (Shorter) - solo
17:54-20:04 Corea solo
20:04-21:15 Theme (muted) - Shorter, Maupin
"Lonely Fire" (BB box)
0:00-0:22 Introduction
0:22-1:12 Theme (muted)
1:12-2:18 Theme (muted) - Shorter, Maupin
2:18-3:20 Theme (muted)
3:20-4:10 Theme (muted)
4:10-4:50 Theme (muted)
4:50-5:31 Theme (muted)
5:31-6:05 Theme (muted)
6:05-6:33 Theme (muted)
6:33-6:58 Theme (Shorter)
6:58-7:29 Theme (muted)
7:29-7:53 Theme (open)
7:53-8:26 Theme (Maupin)
8:26-9:21 Theme (muted, staccato)
9:21-9:50 Theme (open, staccato)
9:50-10:20 Theme (Shorter)
10:20-11:20 Theme (open)
11:20-15:05 Theme (open) - solo
15:05-15:30 Theme (muted)
15:30-15:55 Theme (open) with groove
15:55-16:35 Theme (open) with groove
16:35-17:41 Theme (Shorter) - solo
17:41-19:51 Corea solo
19:51-21:07 Theme (muted) - Shorter, Maupin

The original edited version of "Guinnevere" -- released in 1979 on Circle in the Round (CBS/Sony 36AP 1409/10), where its title is listed on the cover as "Guinnere" -- contains splices at 0:18 and 16:56; the introduction is shortened by about 1:23, and another 1:23 or so is removed from near the end, where the tune is faded out.

"Guinnevere" (LP)
0:00-0:18 Introduction
0:18-1:35 Theme #1
1:35-2:28 Theme #1
2:28-3:17 Theme #1
3:17-4:09 Theme #1
4:09-4:39 Modulate to theme #2
4:39-5:24 Davis solo #1
5:24-5:53 Return to theme #1
5:53-7:17 Davis solo #2
7:17-7:47 Theme #1
7:47-8:45 Davis solo #3 (Holland augments bass line)
8:45-9:17 Theme #1
9:17-10:12 Davis solo #4
10:12-10:40 Modulate to theme #2
10:40-11:40 Davis solo #5, staccato beginning; Corea and Zawinul interplay
11:40-13:33 Theme #1 - Moreira cuica
13:33-13:59 Theme #2
13:56-14:26 Davis solo #6
14:26-14:58 Theme #2 over theme #1 bass vamp
14:58-15:45 Davis solo #7
15:45-16:14 Theme #1
16:14-17:12 Davis solo #8 (quotes theme #2)
17:12-18:05 Theme #1
"Guinnevere" (master)
0:00-2:49 Introduction
2:49-3:42 Theme #1
3:42-4:31 Theme #1
4:31-5:25 Theme #1
5:25-5:54 Modulate to theme #2
5:54-6:39 Davis solo #1
6:39-7:08 Theme #1
7:08-8:32 Davis solo #2
8:32-9:02 Theme #1
9:02-10:01 Davis solo #3 (Holland augments bass line)
10:01-10:33 Theme #1
10:33-11:28 Davis solo #4
11:28-11:57 Modulate to theme #2
11:57-12:56 Davis solo #5, staccato beginning; Corea and Zawinul interplay
12:56-13:38 Theme #1
13:38-14:50 Theme #1 - Moriera cuica
14:50-15:15 Theme #2
15:15-15:42 Davis solo #6
15:42-16:15 Theme #2 over theme #1 b vamp
16:15-17:02 Davis solo #7
17:02-17:31 Theme #1
17:31-17:58 Davis solo #8 (quotes theme #2)
17:58-18:47 Slow groove with Balakrishna, Moreira
18:47-19:02 Moreira cuica at finish
19:02-20:03 Slow groove reprise
20:03-20:59 Theme #1
20:59-21:06 "Sock it to me, sock it to me!"

While larger groups were recording new compositions in the studio (fourteen sessions in the first half of 1970!), the Davis Sextet was very busy with live dates: Village Gate, New York (January 2-3, 6-10); Cellar Door, Washington (January 12-17); Spectrum, Philadelphia (January 18); Schwab Auditorium, Pennsylvania State University (February 14); Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor (February 21); Fillmore East, New York (March 6-7); Fillmore West, San Francisco (April 9-12); Shelly's Manne-Hole, Los Angeles (April 14-26); Both/And Club, San Francisco (April 28).

I am grateful to Fred Simon for help with this session.

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