On October 5, 1951, Miles Davis took a sextet into Apex Studio in New York for Prestige, and the date was built for a new medium. With the 10-inch LP in view, nobody had to stop at three minutes: every track ran past five, and “Bluing” stretched to nearly nine. The alto chair went to Jackie McLean, a 20-year-old from Harlem making his first record, alongside the young Sonny Rollins. McLean’s ordeal had an audience. Charlie Parker, one of McLean’s boyhood mentors, spent the session in the engineering booth, and Charles Mingus came along too, reportedly playing uncredited bass on one track. Parker’s presence is said to have rattled the newcomer. Then came the label copy: McLean’s own line on the changes of “Sweet Georgia Brown” came out as “Dig,” composed by Miles Davis. When Davis recorded it again for Blue Note the following May, it was called “Donna” and credited to McLean. McLean later said suing over it simply wasn’t worth the money.
Tommy Potter, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Duke Jordan (Max Roach almost hidden behind Parker) at the Three Deuces, New York, ca. August 1947. Four years later Potter played bass on the “Dig” session while Parker listened from the booth. (Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Library of Congress; Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Sources: The New Sounds — Wikipedia (recorded at Apex Studio on October 5, 1951; the LP freed Davis from the 78 time limit; Parker and Mingus attended, Parker in the engineering booth, Mingus on uncredited bass; Parker’s presence unnerved McLean on his first session) , Dig (composition) — Wikipedia (attributed to Davis by Prestige; McLean the composer; contrafact on “Sweet Georgia Brown”; re-recorded for Blue Note on May 9, 1952, as “Donna,” credited to McLean) , Listening to Prestige Records Part 51: Miles Davis Sextet — Opus Forty (one of the first sessions aimed at the LP; all tracks over five minutes, “Bluing” nearly nine; Parker hanging out in the studio; McLean nervous; McLean wrote “Dig,” legal action not economically worthwhile) , Dig (Miles Davis album) — Wikipedia (October 5, 1951, Apex Studio; jazz recording debut of Jackie McLean; personnel Davis, McLean, Rollins, Bishop, Potter, Blakey) , Miles Davis: Dig / Diggin’ (1951) — London Jazz Collector (Parker reportedly present during part of the recording) , Jackie McLean — Wikipedia (born May 17, 1931, in Harlem; recording debut on the 1951 Davis session at age 20; informal tutoring from Monk, Powell and Parker)
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