Sippin' at Bells, recorded August 14, 1947, is a blues in F composed by Miles Davis, performed by the Miles Davis All Stars at approximately 203-211 BPM over a 12-bar form. Parker plays tenor saxophone for two choruses, Davis contributes two choruses on trumpet, and John Lewis takes two choruses on piano. As with the other tracks from this session, Parker's appearance on tenor rather than alto saxophone gives the performance a distinctive sonic character. The up-tempo blues format is familiar territory for all three soloists, and each brings a personal approach: Parker's tenor solo combines bebop complexity with blues inflection, Davis plays with a growing sense of space and melodic economy, and Lewis contributes a thoughtful, less percussive piano style that foreshadowed his later work with the Modern Jazz Quartet. This is one of four recordings from the August 1947 Savoy session issued under Davis's name, and it captures an important snapshot of the working relationship between these three pivotal figures in modern jazz.
