An incredibly rare set of 2 Miles Davis ‘Columbia Records Studios’ acetate LP’s, with nearly 40 minutes of unreleased music.  These were used to compile Directions, the 1981 double album of previously unreleased Davis recordings.  We acquired these directly from Directions co-producer and Miles’ Columbia Records A&R man Jim Fishel.

Fishel told us his previous compilation of unreleased Miles tracks, Circle in the Round (1979),  sold so well in Japan that Columbia’s Japanese company, CBS-Sony, asked for another similar album. Fishel and co-producer Joe McEwen explored the remaining unreleased electric Miles recordings in Columbia’s vaults, selecting the best material with Miles’ engineer Stan Tonkel.  They mixed and compiled the music on these sides, and circulated the music to Miles Davis and other Columbia executives, for their comments and approval.

After Davis and the other Columbia executives signed off, Fishel and McEwen compiled the 2 LP set Directions using what they felt were the best tracks.  This left the nearly 40 minutes of excellent unused, unreleased electric era Miles material on these discs (the tracks aren’t recognized by the Shazam app, indicating they have never even been been bootlegged).

Below is a breakdown of the music on the four sides, with the unreleased music underlined and in italics.  Any slight differences in timings are a result of slight mix differences.:

Side 5
1.  The Little Blue Frog 9:10  (Later issued on ‘The Complete Bitches Brew’)
2.  Feio 11:10 (Possibly alternate mix of outtake released on ‘The Complete Bitches Brew’)

Side 6
1.  Unreleased single long track 18:17

Side 7
1.  Jabali 11:08  (Later released on ‘The Complete On The Corner Sessions’)
2.  Johnny Bratton (Take 4) 8:18 (Later released on ‘The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions)
3.  Unreleased Track 3:42

Side 8

1.  Unreleased Track 17:20
2.  9Ali (Take 4) 3:42  (Later released on ‘The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions)

The discs are housed in their original generic sleeves, titled “Miles Davis/Album for Japan” and with the Columbia Records project number, P#5850-2.  The acetates are labeled Sides 5/6 and 7/8 (we don’t have the Sides 1/2 and 3/4 acetates, which contained music that was released.)

The Sides 5/6 disc is in VG++ Condition; there are two superficial marks on Side 6 that make an audible click throughout the first 2/3 of the track.  The Sides 7/8 disc is in VG++ condition and plays well with a bit of light surface noise in some of the quietest moments.

A unique opportunity to obtain impossibly rare unreleased electric Miles music with impeccable provenance.  With Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

NOTE: THESE ACETATES ARE OFFERED AS COLLECTIBLE ARTIFACTS ONLY.  ALL RIGHTS TO THE MUSIC CONTAINED ON THEM REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER(S).