Milestones: A Miles Davis Archive
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Dedicated to the music of jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. Our Youtube channel has 52K subscribers- go to: https://www.youtube.com/@MilestonesArchive. If you'd like to buy us a coffee go to https://ko-fi.com/milestonesarchive
It does seem a strange situation that we have 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 and 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆, two quite radical remixes of 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆, and yet the original remains unreleased.
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
It does seem a strange situation that we have 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 and 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆, two quite radical remixes of 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆, and yet the original remains unreleased.
The Champ is an interpolation of the song Tramp, written and originally performed by Lowell Fulson (sometimes known as Lowell Fulsom), although this version is based on the cover recorded by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The Champ is an interpolation of the song Tramp, written and originally performed by Lowell Fulson (sometimes known as Lowell Fulsom), although this version is based on the cover recorded by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.
𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 also uses the organ part from The Champ by The Mohawks, a 1968 track by a group of session musicians lead by British producer Alan Hawkshaw. Once again, it's a track that has been sampled many times- around 920 uses.
The Champ (Original Version)
YouTube video by The Mohawks - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 also uses the organ part from The Champ by The Mohawks, a 1968 track by a group of session musicians lead by British producer Alan Hawkshaw. Once again, it's a track that has been sampled many times- around 920 uses.
The track also samples the 'firetruck' break from the 1969 song Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man by innovative soul-funk band Dyke & The Blazers. Again, a much sampled song, with around 230 uses of the track.
Dyke & The Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Dyke & The Blazers
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The track also samples the 'firetruck' break from the 1969 song Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man by innovative soul-funk band Dyke & The Blazers. Again, a much sampled song, with around 230 uses of the track.
The piece is built from a number of samples, including the track UFO by the band ESG from 1981. The track has been sampled around 620 times.
ESG - U.F.O
YouTube video by firerecords
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The piece is built from a number of samples, including the track UFO by the band ESG from 1981. The track has been sampled around 620 times.
A different take of 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 was used as the source of Miles' trumpet parts on the posthumously completed track 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆, reworked by producer Easy Mo Bee to complete the album 𝘿𝙤𝙤-𝘽𝙤𝙥 (Warner Bros.)
Fantasy
YouTube video by Miles Davis - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
A different take of 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 was used as the source of Miles' trumpet parts on the posthumously completed track 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆, reworked by producer Easy Mo Bee to complete the album 𝘿𝙤𝙤-𝘽𝙤𝙥 (Warner Bros.)
Miles' opening dialogue on 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 is taken from the intro to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆, from the soundtrack to 𝘿𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙤 (Warner Bros.)
Concert on the Runway
YouTube video by Miles Davis - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Miles' opening dialogue on 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 is taken from the intro to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆, from the soundtrack to 𝘿𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙤 (Warner Bros.)
Author George Cole in his book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 describes 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 as 'Caribbean-tinged... [with] steel drum sound effects... the sound may be closer to pop than jazz,' so it's possible 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 isn't too far removed from its original concept.
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Author George Cole in his book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 describes 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 as 'Caribbean-tinged... [with] steel drum sound effects... the sound may be closer to pop than jazz,' so it's possible 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 isn't too far removed from its original concept.
𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆's composition is credited to Miles with Randy Hall & Attala Zane Giles, who probably played guitar & keyboards respectively. The 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 reworking adds Michael Paulo- fl; Javier Linares- p, kyb; Vince Wilburn Jr.- d, d-prog; King Errison & Munyungo Jackson- perc, Medina Johnson- vcl.
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆's composition is credited to Miles with Randy Hall & Attala Zane Giles, who probably played guitar & keyboards respectively. The 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲 reworking adds Michael Paulo- fl; Javier Linares- p, kyb; Vince Wilburn Jr.- d, d-prog; King Errison & Munyungo Jackson- perc, Medina Johnson- vcl.
The song was recorded in 1948 by one of Miles' favourite performers of the era, Frank Sinatra.
Frank Sinatra - S'posin'
YouTube video by Sinatra 50
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The song was recorded in 1948 by one of Miles' favourite performers of the era, Frank Sinatra.
The piece was composed by British bandleader Paul Denniker with lyrics by Andy Razaf in 1929 and was instantly popular- there were a dozen recordings of the song that year alone, including this version by Paul Whiteman with Bing Crosby on vocals.
1929 Paul Whiteman - S’posin’ (Bing Crosby, vocal)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The piece was composed by British bandleader Paul Denniker with lyrics by Andy Razaf in 1929 and was instantly popular- there were a dozen recordings of the song that year alone, including this version by Paul Whiteman with Bing Crosby on vocals.
Miles would continue to play 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲, or variations of it, usually as a set closer, sometimes as a full performance or sometimes just a few bars, until the end of 1970.
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Miles would continue to play 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲, or variations of it, usually as a set closer, sometimes as a full performance or sometimes just a few bars, until the end of 1970.
Miles and the quintet would record two more short versions of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 on May 11, 1956, both included on the LP 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣' 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙨 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙩 (Prestige)
8 The Theme by Miles Davis from 'Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet'
YouTube video by Miles Davis
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Miles and the quintet would record two more short versions of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 on May 11, 1956, both included on the LP 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣' 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙨 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙩 (Prestige)
Blakey's Jazz Messengers also often played the piece. Here is a performance at the Cafe Bohemia, just a week after Miles' recording. Here, the composition is credited to trumpeter Kenny Dorham. We may never know who the true composer of The Theme was.
The Theme (Live) (Live At Cafe Bohemia, NY/1955 / Rudy Van Gelder Edition/2001)
YouTube video by Art Blakey - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Blakey's Jazz Messengers also often played the piece. Here is a performance at the Cafe Bohemia, just a week after Miles' recording. Here, the composition is credited to trumpeter Kenny Dorham. We may never know who the true composer of The Theme was.
But the piece- or close variations of it- have been recorded by many other artists. Here it is in 1954, recorded by trumpeter Joe Gordon under the title Flash Gordon, with Art Blakey on drums.
Flash Gordon
YouTube video by Joe Gordon - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
But the piece- or close variations of it- have been recorded by many other artists. Here it is in 1954, recorded by trumpeter Joe Gordon under the title Flash Gordon, with Art Blakey on drums.
Credited on early pressings as 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀' 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 and credited to Miles, the piece is a rhythm changes tune with a melodic motif that may have originated at jam sessions in the early 1940s- Thelonious Monk has been cited as one possible source.
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Credited on early pressings as 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀' 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 and credited to Miles, the piece is a rhythm changes tune with a melodic motif that may have originated at jam sessions in the early 1940s- Thelonious Monk has been cited as one possible source.
The song was composed by bandleader Isham Jones, with lyrics by Marty Symes and first recorded on February 3, 1936 with a vocal by Woody Herman, who would soon take leadership of Jones' orchestra.
No Greater Love
YouTube video by Isham Jones - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The song was composed by bandleader Isham Jones, with lyrics by Marty Symes and first recorded on February 3, 1936 with a vocal by Woody Herman, who would soon take leadership of Jones' orchestra.
The tune had lyrics added by Lee Gaines and was retitled 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲 𝗠𝗲 (𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲). Ellington recorded the new version on July 9, 1946 with a vocal by Ray Nance. The piece is sometimes confused with Squeeze Me, a different song from 1925 written by Fats Waller.
Duke Ellington - Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
YouTube video by PerryCoxPF93
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The tune had lyrics added by Lee Gaines and was retitled 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲 𝗠𝗲 (𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲). Ellington recorded the new version on July 9, 1946 with a vocal by Ray Nance. The piece is sometimes confused with Squeeze Me, a different song from 1925 written by Fats Waller.
The piece was written by Duke Ellington as an instrumental titled 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 and the earliest studio recording was made under the name of trumpeter Rex Stewart on July 3, 1941.
Subtle Slough (07-03-41)
YouTube video by Duke Ellington - Topic
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The piece was written by Duke Ellington as an instrumental titled 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 and the earliest studio recording was made under the name of trumpeter Rex Stewart on July 3, 1941.
That year the song appeared in the Cecil B. DeMille directed movie 𝘋𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦, sung by Russ Columbo.
How Am I To Know - Dynamite (1929)
YouTube video by Vebinz
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 2:03 PM
That year the song appeared in the Cecil B. DeMille directed movie 𝘋𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦, sung by Russ Columbo.