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Miles Ahead session details

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March 28, 1946 (11 items; TT = 30:29)
Radio Recorders Studio, Hollywood CA
Commercial for Dial

Miles Davis (tpt); Charlie Parker (as); Eli "Lucky" Thompson (ts); Arvin Garrison (g); Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa (p); Vic McMillan (b); Roy Porter (d)

1 Moose the Mooche (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:57

Davis plays open tpt on this take, muted tpt on takes 2-3
2 Moose the Mooche (take 2 (master)) (C. Parker) 3:01
3 Moose the Mooche (take 3) (C. Parker) 2:54

Sonically inferior
4 Yardbird Suite (take 1) (C. Parker) 2:38

Same theme as Jay McShann's "What Price Love."
5 Yardbird Suite (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker) 2:53

Parker's solo (0:53-0:56) contains the germ of "Cool Blues."
6 Ornithology (take 1) (C. Parker-B. Harris) 3:00

No Parker solo
7 Ornithology (take 3) [Bird Lore] (C. Parker-B. Harris) 3:15
8 Ornithology (take 4 (master)) (C. Parker-B. Harris) 2:58
9 A Night in Tunisia (take 1 (inc)) [Famous Alto Break] (D. Gillespie-F. Paparelli) 0:47
10 A Night in Tunisia (take 4) (D. Gillespie-F. Paparelli) 3:04
11 A Night in Tunisia (take 5 (master)) (D. Gillespie-F. Paparelli) 3:02


1 Moose the Mooche (take 1)
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151

2 Moose the Mooche (take 2 (master))
78 rpm: Dial 1003
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151

3 Moose the Mooche (take 3)
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151

4 Yardbird Suite (take 1)
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151

5 Yardbird Suite (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Dial 1003
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151

6 Ornithology (take 1)
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 58 (W 889)

7 Ornithology (take 3)
78 rpm: Dial 1006
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 58 (W 889)

8 Ornithology (take 4 (master))
78 rpm: Dial 1002
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 58 (W 889)

9 A Night in Tunisia (take 1 (inc))
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 57 (W 888)

10 A Night in Tunisia (take 4)
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 57 (W 888)

11 A Night in Tunisia (take 5 (master))
78 rpm: Dial 1002
12" LP: Spotlite 101, EMI ITJ-5001
CD: Toshiba CJ25-5043/6, Toshiba TOCJ 6201/4, Toshiba/Spotlite TOCJ 0001/10, Mosaic MD9-260, Definitive Records DRCD 11152, Masters of Jazz MJCD 151, Philology Volume 57 (W 888)


Joe Albany and Red Callender quit suddenly and Parker spent valuable rehearsal time finding replacements, but the rest of the band are familiar with the material, and the extended session is one of the best in the Dial catalog. Oddly, the familiar "A Night in Tunisia" proved to be most problematic, consuming a couple hours of studio time and at least five takes.

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