Chuck Wayne 'Sonny' (1946) RARE RECORDING [SOLAR]

Nearly 50 years after Miles Davis' recording from Walkin' the United States Library of Congress unearthed an obscure live recording of Chuck Wayne performing a strikingly similar composition at a jam session in Oklahoma in 1946; he referred to the composition as "Sonny". Although Prestige Music registered the composition for Copyright in 1963 Wayne claims to have been the original composer while Miles was merely the appropriator. While there are slight differences between both recordings the sameness is undeniable and Wayne's recording clearly predates Miles' by over a decade.​

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Some notes about the composition as found on

Composer: Miles Davis, *Chuck Wayne

Year: 1954, *1946

Origin: Introduced on the Miles Davis album Walkin'.

Style: Usually played swung, taken at a wide variety of tempos.

Form: A-B (12 Bars) [8-4]
The head is typically played twice on the way in and out.

Key: C minor

Harmony/Overview: The harmony is very functional and made up nearly entirely of II-V's. It initially gives the impression in the first few bars that it is a minor blues, although the arrival at IVMaj7 in the 5th bar makes it clear that this is not the case. The tune proceeds in a fashion reminiscent of "How High the Moon", with II-V's descending in whole-steps and a melody that gravitates heavily around the 3rds of each chord. The form concludes with a final minor II - V back to Imi.

Recordings: This composition has been recorded hundreds of times to date and one of the most widely known jazz standards. Miles Davis was the first to record the composition in the studio for his album Walkin' in 1957. However, nearly 50 years after the fact the United States Library of Congress unearthed an obscure live recording of Chuck Wayne performing a strikingly similar composition entitled "Sonny" at a jam session in 1946. Although Prestige Music registered the composition for copyright in 1963, Wayne claims to have been the original composer while Miles was merely the appropriator. While there are slight differences between both recordings the sameness is undeniable, and Wayne's recording clearly predates Miles' by over a decade.​

JGC Top Picks:
Bill Evans, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, 1961
Pat Metheny, Question and Answer, 1989
Brad Mehldau, Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard, 1999

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#ChuckWayne #Solar #MilesDavis

[utube]

I heard the rumors so I had to hear this for myself. No question about it! This is the "Solar" melody note for note! Of course, we all still love Miles Davis - but Chuck Wayne, you are now vindicated and your musical contribution is forever recognized!!!

[pallhe]

“Good artists borrow, great artists steal", they say. I wonder if Miles himself chose the tombstone.

[terenciojazzpiano]

1946 a good year for music- and Chuck Wayne, one of the elite. This is great. Somebody once
said that genius is knowing which things to steal, borrow, adapt, imitate, etc. Miles davis
had great creativity and great taste in bottowing. Eddie Vinson's "Four" is another
example, I think. I am grateful for the Miles Davis versions- and the sources too.

[ladenso]

Gordon Jack, in his _Jazz Journal_ piece on Sonny Berman, says that Sonny is on this. Made when Chuck W was replacing Billy Bauer in Woody's orch.

[robertbalogh]

Miles claimed authorship of many tunes he didn't write. Nardis and Blue in Green by Bill Evans. Tune Up and Four by Eddie Vinson. I guess you let him get away with it if you wanted to be in his band.

[rodmact]

wow thanks - been hearing about this for years. good to finally hear the evidence.

[joenania]

So what happened to all this controversy ? - - That Chuck Wayne's "SONNY" composition pre - dates Miles Davis' composition "SOLAR" ? Are there any back royalties that were - or are going to be given to CHUCK WAYNE'S family ?

[davidram]

The first 2 measures are carved on Miles tombstone. {go figure}

[TomJobim]

It seems the same case of Budo (an expansion or variation of Hallucinations by Bud Powell), but unlike Four (Eddie Vinson) Blue In Green (Bill Evans) or It's About That Time (Zawinul), here Miles did put Powell as co-author. I would have to ask what role Prestige had in awarding composers, since they had rights to the compositions in Davis' name.

[jamesmitchell]

I still say it's based on the 12-bar blues. In the description it says the IVmaj7 shows this is "clearly not the case" but that's what the blues does on measures 5 and 6! The fact that it doesn't return to the tonic on bars 7, 8, 11, or 12 is the best argument that it's not a blues but you could also argue that those other chords are simply substitutions. I love that little intro! I'm gonna have to steal it...

[gRRR]

I think i lost respect for Miles, wtf i mean it's the same tune note for note