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Miles Ahead session details

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January 19, 1951 (7 items; TT = 16:44)
Ballroom, Hotel Diplomat, New York NY
Audience recording (C)
Show chatter

Miles Davis (tpt); Charlie Parker (as); Al Haig (p); Tommy Potter (b); Roy Haynes (d)

1 Billie's Bounce (inc) (C. Parker) 2:40

Parker solo, part of the fours, then closing theme
2 Cool Blues (inc) (C. Parker) 2:56

Listed as "Drifting on a Reed" on Bird Box. Parker solo, part of the fours, then closing theme
3 April in Paris (inc) (V. Duke-E.Y. Harburg) 1:54

Parker solo, then a nice Davis solo (1:06-1:56), faded out
4 Ornithology (inc) (C. Parker-B. Harris) 2:05

Opening theme, Parker solo, sudden transition to "52nd Street Theme."
5 52nd Street Theme (fragment) (T. Monk) 0:06
6 Caravan (inc) (D. Ellington-J. Tizol-I. Mills) 2:20

Stops abruptly as Parker's solo begins (0:50). Starts again, Parker plays more thematic embellishments, drumming gets more insistent, faded out at 1:58, picks up again with tpt/as closing theme
7 Big Foot [Drifting on a Reed] (C. Parker) 4:43


1 Billie's Bounce (inc)
12" LP: Bird Box 01-22 (LP 4)
CD: New Sound Planet JUTB 3001/18, Sound Hills SSCD 8014/34, Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

2 Cool Blues (inc)
12" LP: Bird Box 01-22 (LP 4)
CD: New Sound Planet JUTB 3001/18, Sound Hills SSCD 8014/34, Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

3 April in Paris (inc)
CD: Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

4 Ornithology (inc)
CD: Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

5 52nd Street Theme (fragment)
CD: Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

6 Caravan (inc)
12" LP: Bird Box 01-22 (LP 4)
CD: New Sound Planet JUTB 3001/18, Sound Hills SSCD 8014/34, Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260

7 Big Foot
CD: Philology Volume 12 (W 842), Stash ST-260


These tunes are usually dated (as on Philology) sometime in 1950, but according to Norman Saks the correct date is January 19, 1951. The trumpet player is definitely Davis -- he quotes a melody in his solo during "Big Foot" (3:16) which he also quotes during his solo on "Out of the Blue" (4:58-5:08) in October 1951 -- and to which he returns again in spring 1952 at the Barrel Club in St. Louis (e.g. the first version of "Wee Dot" (1:21-1:33) and the second version of "Wee Dot" (4:17-4:28). (The melody stayed with Davis for years: he quotes it during "The Leap" (3:58-4:04) recorded for Blue Note in March 1954, and also in his solo during "Green Haze" (2:11-2:21) recorded for Prestige in June 1955.)

Davis and Parker were reunited for a studio session on January 17 (the "Au Privave" session for Mercury).

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