Dennis playing organ on 'Good Vibrations'

[the captain]

Sounds like Thelonius Monk on piano.  ... On at least one of these occasions, when it was Miles turn to solo, he turned to Monk and said in his (permanantly raspier than Dennis's) voice: "Lay Out, MF'er, lay out!"     

By the way, the details of the incident you're referring to vary, but there are recordings of the session under "Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants." And Monk being Monk, he lays out, all right ... during his own solo, barely playing and being obviously obtuse. Miles tries to rescue it by suddenly coming in to solo himself--you can hear him moving toward a mic to do it, with the change in tone as he approaches it. And right when Miles begins to play, BOOM, Monk finally goes into a true solo. It's pretty funny.

[mikee]

By the way, the details of the incident you're referring to vary

  I tried to stay within the details of Miles 'corrected' version of the story.  I think that Miles qualified   1) that this was basically a good natured interaction (friends, foes, and inanimate objects alike were referred to as MFer's by Miles)  2) Monk (a large but good natured  man) could have kicked Davis's butt in short order if so inclined.
- But he really did want Thelonius to lay out.
 

there are recordings of the session under "Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants." And Monk being Monk, he lays out, all right ... during his own solo, barely playing and being obviously obtuse. Miles tries to rescue it by suddenly coming in to solo himself--you can hear him moving toward a mic to do it, with the change in tone as he approaches it. And right when Miles begins to play, BOOM, Monk finally goes into a true solo. It's pretty funny.

   

I think I have that in the 'Legendary Prestige Sessions' box  I'll have to go listen for the incident.  Do you recall the song?         

[the captain]

I think I have that in the 'Legendary Prestige Sessions' box  I'll have to go listen for the incident.  Do you recall the song?         

It's "The Man I Love," I believe the second take. Funny, your comment about how Monk could have taken him. That's what Monk is quoted as having said, too. But remember, Miles was a boxer...and a mean motherfucker. I wouldn't have messed with Miles Davis.

[mikee]

Funny, your comment about how Monk could have taken him. That's what Monk is quoted as having said, too. But remember, Miles was a boxer...and a mean motherfodaer. I wouldn't have messed with Miles Davis.

 
That was Miles commenting on the incident.  He said that Monk could have easily taken him if it had actually been a physical confrontation.  ( I am paraphrasing because I don't have his autobiography handy).  He did go up to Ray Robinson's Harlem gym and have Sugar Ray train him for a while.  But my take is that it was just recreational.  He certainly could be mean talking on occasion but I don't think he was really a street fighter at all  - Bob Dylan, by the way, has his own private gym and ring up in Santa Monica.  Bob suffered the indignity of being knocked down by a woman, actress Gina Gershon,  a few years ago.  He apparently took it like a good sport.  When Dylan got up off the mat, he told her, "I need a good woman to kick my ass every now and then.".  It probably was worth it to go a couple of rounds with her.  It being his gym and he being the singer/songwriter that he is,  he probably doesn't take too much grief about it.   A 1972 Dylan/Davis 3 rounder though might have been an interesting and spirited bout.