These recordings from the short-lived Royal Roost gig comprise the only live broadcasts that have ever surfaced by this most influential Davis combo. Since this two-week stint in September 1948 was their only appearance before a live audience, there is little chance of any other live material turning up now.
Their twelve recordings for Capitol have never been out of print since their initial issue; contrarily, this live material (which predates the first Capitol session by four months) has only appeared briefly on obscure European releases.
Fortunately for posterity, these broadcasts include two selections that Davis didn't record for Capitol: Why Do I Love You and S'il Vous Plait. Several others are much longer than their commercial counterparts: Godchild, Darn That Dream, Move and Budo (announced here under its original tide, Hallucinations). Of course, all the music heard here provides welcome alternative readings of the classic Capitol arrangements. Since all the other instrumentals are originals, Moon Dreams seemed a strange choice for this group to record- this offbeat pop tune was written in 1943 by Chummy MacGregor, pianist of the Glenn Miller civilian band. Presumably the connection to Miles was Addison Collins, French hornman with the Miller AAF Band, which played the tune often during the war years.
An interesting sidelight is the presence in the personnel of trombonist Mike Zwerin, who has in recent years become one of our most astute jazz writers. He was replaced by J.J. Johnson for the Capitol sessions.
The Lennie Tristano material comes from a series of broadcasts that pitted groups of modern jazzmen against more traditional players.
An amazing number of great musicians are on these tracks; unfortunately, the short playing time of the selections reduces the solo space to a minimum.
Aside from the welcome glimpses of Parker, Gillespie and Navarro (and a hit more of Sarah Vaughan and John LaPorta), Tristano is the one constant on these tracks, playing throughout in his most determinedly modern manner- I Surrender Dear being a good example.
The sound quality of some of these broadcasts may be slightly subpar, but the rarity and excellence of this material should more than compensate. Would that there were ten more CDs of similar live material by Davis & Tristano!