When Lights Are Low

Miles forgot the B section of that piece, and just took the A section up a fourth. (That version is on one of the Prestige sessions with Trane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe.)

I think I have heard the whole thing as Benny Carter wrote it, but I don't recall how it goes.

All the best with this. Try to get into Eb (and all the other keys) as soon as you can.

Lol, I was tossed in at the deep end with keys, at the tender age of 14. I used to take my alto saxophone to school, to jam with a friend who had a brand new Fender Stratocaster (guitar). He was into early pop and rock. Like most of those players, he spent most of the time in E, which is C# on an alto saxophone, so I had to get used to that key in a hurry.

I agree about not using the Miles version. The piece should be played as Benny wrote it.

Miles often tended to alter a piece, for whatever reason. He recorded "Straight, No Chaser" in F, and at a fairly brisk tempo. Because it's a blues, the performance is great. But Monk wrote that in Bb. He recorded the definitive version of that on the Riverside album "Five By Monk By Five", at a nice, slow groove.

Some Miles recommendations for you: The "Miles Ahead" album, with Gil Evans, and a piece called "Eighty-One", from 1965. That piece has a funky groove alternating with straight 4/4.

One alteration by Miles was a really good idea. Joe Zawinul brought "In A Silent Way" to a session, and they recorded a dreary take of it. Then Miles said why not drop all the chords and play the melody over a sustained E on the bass. That gave them a masterpiece.