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Miles Ahead session details

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December 4-5, 1957 (18 items; TT = 55:57)
Le Poste Parisien Studio, Paris (France)
Commercial for Fontana

Miles Davis (tpt); Barney Wilen (ts); René Urtreger (p); Pierre Michelot (b); Kenny Clarke (d)
1 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 1) (M. Davis) 2:28
2 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 2) (M. Davis) 5:22
3 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 3) [Générique] (M. Davis) 2:52
4 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 4) [Florence sur les Champs-Élysées] (M. Davis) 2:58
5 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (unknown take) (M. Davis) 3:52

Wilen out. Davis open tpt 0:14-1:12, muted 1:16-3:50
6 Assassinat (take 1) [Visite du vigile] (M. Davis) 2:02

Davis, Wilen, Urtreger out
7 Assassinat (take 2) [Julien dans l'ascenseur] (M. Davis) 2:10

Wilen out
8 Assassinat (take 3) [L'Assassinat de Carala] (M. Davis) 2:10

Wilen out
9 Motel (take 1) [Dîner au motel] (M. Davis) 3:56

Wilen, Urtreger out
10 Final (take 1) (M. Davis) 3:04

Wilen out
11 Final (take 2) (M. Davis) 3:00

Wilen out
12 Final (take 3) [Chez le photographe du motel] (M. Davis) 4:05

Wilen out
13 L'interrogatoire de Julien (take 1) (M. Davis) 5:16

Davis, Wilen out
14 Ascenseur (take 1) [Évasion de Julien] (M. Davis) 1:56
15 Le petit bac (take 1) (M. Davis) 2:39

Michelot solo
16 Le petit bac (take 2) [Au bar du Petit Bac] (M. Davis) 2:54
17 Séquence voiture (take 1) (M. Davis) 2:57
18 Séquence voiture (take 2) [Sur l'autoroute] (M. Davis) 2:16

1 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 1)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

2 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 2)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

3 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 3)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Columbia C5X 45000, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia C4K 45000, Columbia C4K 86569, Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, CBS/Sony 80DP 5430/3, Sony SICP 5037/40, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589, Columbia C2K 85475, Sony SRCS 2493/4, Sony SICP 20162/3

4 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (take 4)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Columbia C5X 45000, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia C4K 45000, Columbia C4K 86569, Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, CBS/Sony 80DP 5430/3, Sony SICP 5037/40, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

6 Assassinat (take 1)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

7 Assassinat (take 2)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

8 Assassinat (take 3)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

9 Motel (take 1)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

10 Final (take 1)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

11 Final (take 2)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

12 Final (take 3)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

13 L'interrogatoire de Julien (take 1)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639
CD: Fontana 0600753818589

14 Ascenseur (take 1)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

15 Le petit bac (take 1)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

16 Le petit bac (take 2)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

17 Séquence voiture (take 1)
10" LP: Universal 0060075379639, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

18 Séquence voiture (take 2)
10" LP: Fontana 460.603, Universal 0060075379639
12" LP: Columbia CL 1268, Columbia 88883 76108, Fontana MGF-27532, Speakers Corner 0660213, Music on Vinyl MOV LP419
CD: Columbia Legacy 88883 75664, Fontana 836 305, Philips 28JD 20170, Philips EJD-3002, Polygram PHCE-2034, Sony SICP 30521/9, Universal UCCU-5012, Universal UCCU-9077, Universal UCCU-9457, Universal UCCU-9512, Universal UCCU-9805, Fontana 0600753818589

Edited (fadeouts, echo, etc.), on Fontana 460.603, Columbia CL 1268, etc. Final titles as follows:

  1. Générique [= Sur l'autoroute, take 2] (2:50)
  2. L'Assassinat de Carala [= Assassinat, take 3] (2:11)
  3. Sur l'autoroute [= Séquence voiture, take 2] (2:20)
  4. Julien dans l'ascenseur [= Assassinat, take 2] (2:09)
  5. Florence sur les Champs-Élysées [= Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées, take 4] (2:52)
  6. Dîner au motel [= Motel, take 1] (3:59)
  7. Évasion de Julien [= Ascenseur, take 1] (0:54)
  8. Visite du vigile [= Assassinat, take 1] (2:06)
  9. Au bar du petit bac [= Le petit bac, take 2] (2:54)
  10. Chez le photographe du motel [= Final, take 3] (3:54)

The film contains the following music (timings from Criterion Collection DVD #335 released in 2006):

00:40 - 02:16 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées, tk 2 (0:08-1:44)
07:09 - 09:10 Assassinat, tk 3 (0:06-2:05)
19:16 - 21:00 Séquence voiture, tk 2 (0:17-2:01)
22:02 - 22:55 Assassinat, tk 2 (0:02-0:54)
25:56 - 28:17 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées, tk 3 (0:17-2:45)
32:57 - 33:35 Séquence voiture, tk 1 (1:16-1:55)
33:46 - 34:37 Motel (2:23-3:15)
34:37 - 35:40 Blue 'n' Boogie (source unknown)
36:09 - 37:04 Assassinat, tk 2 (0:06-0:24 + 0:03-0:32)
43:00 - 44:20 Assassinat, tk 1 (0:42-2:02)
45:36 - 48:21 Le petit bac, tk 2 (0:03-2:48)
49:46 - 50:32 Ascenseur (0:44-1:32)
74:00 - 79:06 Interrogatoire de Julien (0:01-5:07)
88:34 - 90:58 Final, tk 2 (0:29-2:55)

I am grateful to Jan Lohmann for identifying the fragment of "Blue 'n' Boogie." But the source of this excerpt is a mystery. Was it recorded during this session? It is not included in the 50th anniversary deluxe edition released in 2018, and it has no matrix number. Pace Brian Priestley, who notes that "the riffs from 'Blue 'n' Boogie' (actually borrowed from 'Disorder at the Border')...sound like part of the same performance as 'Dîner au Motel'," Davis is muted throughout "Dîner" and open on "Blue 'n' Boogie," and the muted-trumpet-with-brushes sound of "Dîner" contrasts with the bouncy ebullience of "Blue 'n' Boogie." The tempo of this version is faster than the canonical version recorded during the Walkin' session on April 29, 1954.

The unknown take of "Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées" (#5 above) is also not included in the 50th anniversary deluxe edition; it exists only on a reference reel in the Geroge Avakian Collection at the New York Public Library. I am grateful to archivist Matt Snyder for alerting me to its existence.

According to Pierre Michelot, this session began at 10 pm on December 4 and lasted about four hours. There is a nice contemporary (albeit largely fabricated) account of the session and a brief description of the film by Boris Vian -- the text is available here. Apparently Vian was not present at the session, despite his claim to the contrary.

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