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Miles at Birdland 1951.


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GREAT session!

I have it on Charly Le Jazz CD 23 ("Miles Davis - The Birdland Sessions (featuring Stan Getz)")

Miles - tp; Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - ts; George "Big Nick" Nicholas - ts; Billy Taylor - p; Charles Mingus - b; Art Blakey - d.

Birdland, NYC, September 29, 1951.

MOVE (D. Best) 6:24

THE SQUIRREL (T. Dameron) 8:44

LADY BIRD (T. Dameron) 5:38

(infos taken from CD booklet)

Is there more music around from this date? Or from other dates with this or similar line ups (thinking of Big Nick and Lockjaw, of course)?

ubu

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  • 3 weeks later...

From this week's Red Trumpet e-mail:

Through the Miles Davis Estate, Blue Note Records is making available three Symphony Sid broadcasts from Birdland in 1951. Two sessions feature his regular all-stars with Sonny Rollins, J.J. Johnson and Art Blakey. The third is an unusual setting that brings Miles together with swing tenorman Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Big Nick Nicholas. These broadcasts have been digitally remastered using great care to bring the music to the best available sonic level. The June 2 and September 29, 1951 broadcasts from Birdland have appeared over the years on a variety of bootlegs. The February 17, 1951 is made available for the first time anywhere.

*Tracks 1-3: June 2, 1951 Miles Davis (trumpet), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Kenny Drew (piano), Tommy Potter (bass), Art Blakey (drums)

*Tracks 4- 7: February 17, 1951 Miles Davis (trumpet), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Kenny Drew (piano), Tommy Potter (bass), Art Blakey (drums)

*Tracks 8-10: September 29, 1951 Miles Davis (trumpet), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis , Big Nick Nichols (tenor saxes), Billy Taylor (piano), Charles Mingus (bass), Art Blakey (drums)

What's missing from the BN that is on the Fresh Sounds CD is a 2-18-50 broadcast w/Miles, JJ, Getz, Tadd, Gene Ramey, & Blakey. Fair trade, I'd say.

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There's some other fine stuff around from Miles around the same years - some tracks with J.J., Getz, Dameron, Gene Ramey & Blakey, some with J.J., Brew Moore, Dameron, Curly Russell and Blakey, and from '49 some with Konitz, George Lewis, Russell and Max Roach.

Will we see these in a well-remastered Blue Note edition, too? Cool to hear Miles with Brew Moore, or rather: Brew Moore with Miles.

ubu

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I have the June 51 & Sept 51 tracks on a CD I picked up called Miles Davis & Stan Getz - Conceptions on 'Planet Media' for only a couple of pounds.It also has dates from Feb18 1950 & May2 1952.

I'd be interested to hear the new date on the Blue Note (thats a cracking cover too).

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The Miles Davis Birdland 1951 CD is out! Bought my copy today.

I had the two issued sessions on a Beppo LP. The sound on the CD is slightly improved. At least the back cover blurb is accurate. It says 'The source for this material was discs cut from the original broadcasts and the fidelity is primitive'.

Very true but the music is splendid so we will live with that.

Favorite track is the 'Tempus Fugit' from the unreleased session with a remarkable solo by Miles Davis. Jay Jay Johnson also has one of his best solo on that one.

Art Blakey propels the three sessions in his dynamite way.

The CD available at the store where I got it is one of those 'Copy Controlled' item.

For once I will store my LP away and listen to that CD remaster even if it is primitive.

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41779.jpg

Can't say I'm particularly thrilled with the cover.

(Not that the cover matters -- I know, I know - "it's the music, stupid".)

I haven't heard any of this music before. Miles in the early 50's isn't the highest on the spending priorities right now, but if I saw it cheap enough, I'd probably spring for it.

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early fifties Miles is the ONLY priority I have when it comes to Mr Davis. I don't like the rest much but probably will pick this one up.

:wacko:

----------

by the way, rooster t: you're not alone regarding the cover! I think it's a pretty ugly one, and looks rather cheap, too!

Our estimated ( :wacko: ) couw could have done better!

ubu

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early fifties Miles is the ONLY priority I have when it comes to Mr Davis. I don't like the rest much but probably will pick this one up.

:wacko:

yeah what!!! it's not wacko! it's called taste! :g

you sure correct, John, but that was my instant reaction!

Can't tell me you don't like Miles with Trane etc., the band about which the following description is around (recently posted here by mikeweil):

"A trumpeter that fluffs half of his notes, and out-of-tune tenor player, a cocktail pianist, a drummer that is too loud, and a teen-aged bassist."

YOU GOTTA LIKE THEM! GET IN LINE!

ubu :D

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you sure correct, John, but that was my instant reaction!

Can't tell me you don't like Miles with Trane etc., the band about which the following description is around (recently posted here by mikeweil):

"A trumpeter that fluffs half of his notes, and out-of-tune tenor player, a cocktail pianist, a drummer that is too loud, and a teen-aged bassist."

YOU GOTTA LIKE THEM! GET IN LINE!

ubu :D

well, I think I wouldn't need to be forced by corporal threats to suscribe to the estimation of the trumpet player...

He ruins a lot of good music for me I am sorry to say.

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I have the Fresh Sounds Cd and haven't had time to compare that with the Blue Note (call me lazy or busy :o ). Is there anything on the Blue Note that's not on the Fresh Sounds Cd. Is the Blue Note claim "of first time anywhere" for that particular session correct?

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Brad, as far as official and bootleg records go, this is a FIRST appearance for that February 17, 1951 broadcast. And it's worth getting this CD just for that session. Great blowing. This makes about 26 minutes of new music by Miles Davis.

And people, please try to show a little respect for Francis Wolff who took the cover photo of Miles on that new CD. Not his best and very far from it but not THAT bad!

Obviously the BN people wanted Wolff photos for that CD which is right as far as I am concerned and they obviously looked for new material but the goldmine is running thin...

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And people, please try to show a little respect for Francis Wolff who took the cover photo of Miles on that new CD. Not his best and very far from it but not THAT bad!

Obviously the BN people wanted Wolff photos for that CD which is right as far as I am concerned and they obviously looked for new material but the goldmine is running thin...

I think the problem people seem to have with the cover lies in the lettering and overall design, not in the choice of photograph.

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And people, please try to show a little respect for Francis Wolff who took the cover photo of Miles on that new CD. Not his best and very far from it but not THAT bad!

Obviously the BN people wanted Wolff photos for that CD which is right as far as I am concerned and they obviously looked for new material but the goldmine is running thin...

I think the problem people seem to have with the cover lies in the lettering and overall design, not in the choice of photograph.

Yes, the photo is "allright" (just as brownie says), but the font and colour and all is rather ugly, in my opinion. Is this a Roques cover? Or has he left the EMI/BN gang? He could do far better!

ubu

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AAAAAArrrrrghhhhhhhhh!

Who actually gives a damn about the COVER???!!!

This CD contains music:

a) By Miles Davis

B) From 1951

c) That you've NEVER HEARD BEFORE.

What is it possible to complain about?

Are folks going to start weighing in on the "soundstage?" Or, "It's only 20-bit remastered, I thought it would be 24-bit?"

Can we have some of those who have heard this weigh in on the music, please?

/rant

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