Miles Davis Festival Plans Shaping Up For Summertime In St. Louis

Dean Minderman from St. Louis Jazz Notes drops by the Riverfront Times to report on the upcoming Miles Davis Festival, which is set to debut this year in St. Louis.

The estate of Miles Davis is teaming up this summer and fall with several St. Louis area organizations and venues to present the Miles Davis Festival — a series of concerts, exhibits and celebrations of Davis’ musical legacy that organizers hope will become an annual event.

A news conference was held on Thursday – the 85th anniversary of Davis’ birth – to announce the rundown of events.

* A series of jazz concerts beginning in July featuring young musicians from East St. Louis and St. Louis, presented in conjunction with the Nu-Art Series at the Metropolitan Gallery, 2396 Locust St., and at BB’s, Jazz, Blues and Soups, 700 S. Broadway;

* Monthly outdoor performances at the Grand Marais golf course in Centreville, IL;

* Photo and art exhibits of Davis and “Friends of Miles,” provided by the Sony/Legacy record label and displayed at the Metropolitan Gallery and the Sheldon Art Galleries;

* A giveaway of a free copy of The Genius of Miles Davis, the lavish box-set-of-box-sets that presents the complete body of work Davis recorded for Columbia Records between 1955-1985; and

* A “premier event” in honor of Davis in September at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Davis’ estate also is planning similar celebrations for New York City and Los Angeles.

It’s shaping up to be quite a fun series of events in St. Louis. It’d be nice to see some kind of digital media component associated with the festival – maybe stream a few of the shows, or put some of the photos online for fans to view who cannot make it to town. But I just might have to swoop in this summer and see what’s shakin’!

via Riverfront Times

Happy Birthday Miles Davis

Miles Dewey Davis III
May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991

The Miles Davis Movie: Waiting So Long

Just to give you an idea of where we stand on the Miles Davis Movie timeline, I began tracking the film project in March 2007 for my blog The Miles Davis Movie. It was at this time Don Cheadle had officially come aboard to the project.

Here is the link to a March 14, 2007 news item by Michael Fleming in Variety, which basically started my endeavor to follow all things Miles Davis and the Miles Davis Biopic.

Don Cheadle has solidified five feature film projects that he’ll produce and star in. Among them is a biopic of jazz legend Miles Davis, on which he plans to make his feature directing debut. Cheadle, who is being honored today as ShoWest male star of the year, has set up the projects through Crescendo Prods., the shingle in which he partners with longtime managers Kay Liberman and Lenore Zerman.

“Nixon” scribes Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson are penning the Davis film, and Liberman and Zerman said they have secured music and life rights to the jazz legend, with whom Cheadle has long been intrigued.

Crescendo’s producing with Cary Brokaw and Vince Wilburn Jr. and Darryl Porter of Miles Davis Properties. They have waited to complete the package before bringing it to financiers, with Cheadle aboard to direct.

Not sure if Cary Brokaw is still involved. Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson have been let go and now Steven Baigelman is handling screenwriter duties.

It was actually in 2006 when Cheadle’s name appeared as the man who might get to play the jazz legend.

On March 13, 2006, Miles Davis was inducted into the 21st Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. That night, Davis’ nephew, Vince Wilburn Jr., had this to say:

“We’re working with Sony on a biopic. We’re gonna negotiate with Don Cheadle whose name keeps coming up to play Miles. It (the film) can touch on many things from the way he changed the wave of music of different decades from bee-bop to hip-hop and in between, and the personal side.”

He added, “First of all we have to get a script and people are submitting them to Sony Pictures, but nothing has caught our fancy. We’ve been talking to Antoine Fuqua who did Training Day to direct.”

Not only would Cheadle sign on to play Miles, he also grabbed the role of director for the project – with the requisite blessings from Vince Wilburn Jr. who oversees Miles Davis Properties with Erin and Cheryl Davis, the late jazz great’s son and daughter, respectively.

The actual idea for a film dates back long before Cheadle was involved. Back in the late ‘90s it looked as if the project was about to hit full steam as word leaked that Wesley Snipes was (finally) going to play the Prince of Darkness.

Here’s an excerpt from the November 1997 issue of Ebony Magazine:

Awesome on another level will be Snipes’ portrayal of the troubled jazz master Miles Davis. “Nobody else has the gall to even try to make it,” he says of his company’s commitment, adding that he’s been doing research on why many talented artists resort to some type of abuse and “what drives a person who is considered genius off the wall.

I used the word ‘finally’ above regarding the film because I found this snippet from a November 1993 issue of Jet Magazine:

Hot actor Wesley Snipes, who is thrilling audiences as a blond villain in Demolition Man, is set to bring to the big screen the life story of legendary jazz artist Miles Davis. Snipes is co-producing the project as well as starring in it, a spokesman told Jet. It is just getting underway and won’t be released until sometime in 1994.

In November of 2006, Stereogum chimed in on the status of what was then dueling Miles Davis film projects; one based on author Quincy Troupe’s book “Miles and Me,” and the other with the blessing of the Miles Davis estate. This is when Cheadle’s name was beginning to get mentioned with the film.

I’m unsure what became of the “Miles and Me ” adaptation. They had director Rudy Langlais (The Hurricane) attached to the film, which, according to Stereogum, was set to ‘show the inner, tortured, personal Miles — the man beyond the music.’

At the time I started tracking the Don Cheadle-led Miles Davis Movie, I figured the film would have been shot and released by now.

Boy was I early to the party!

Right now IMDB list the film for a 2013 release.

Cheadle has since commented on the development of the movie, citing financial issues as a key roadblock in getting the movie made.

Then of course there’s Cheadle’s busy acting schedule, which causes a conflict in finding the time to prepare and shoot the Miles Davis movie.

He’s also starring a new Showtime series called “House of Lies,” so add that to the list.

With so many factors at play in getting this movie – or any movie – made, there is a chance the biopic might get pushed even further into the new decade.

When all is said and done there’s going to quite a story to write about the saga of bringing the life of Miles Davis to the big screen. But for now Miles Davis fans can only wait until the stars align just right and the project can finally get going.

* More links about the Miles Davis Movie:

What Should The Movie Title Be?

Script Ready, Now It’s About The Money

What Songs Should Be Featured In The Biopic?

PG-13 or Rated R?

The Betty Year

Finding The Voice

Unofficial Teaser Poster Should Be Official!

Who is going to play John Coltrane?

A Trio Of Awesome Unofficial Teaser Posters

Will It Be The Best Movie Ever About Jazz? Or: Wow, There Are Not A Lot Of Movies About Jazz

Miles Davis 85th Birthday Tributes In NYC

To help celebrate what would have been Miles Davis’ 85th birthday, there are several events coming up in New York City – where Davis spent much of his career.

• Le Poisson Rouge – Wednesday, May 25th with JD Walter, Cynthia Scott, Claudia Acuna, Sasha Dobson and more.
• Zinc Bar – Thursday, May 26th: Miles Davis 85th Birthday with Wallace Roney.
• Harlem Arts Salon – Thursday, May 26th – With Keiryn Bell, Quincy Troupe and more.
• Smoke Jazz and Supper Club — Friday, 5/27 and Sunday, 5/29 with Gregory Porter.

via wnyc.org

The Miles Davis Online Interview: Jamie Parslow

I had an instant reaction to Jamie Parslow’s photography: the work is honest and immediate.

In my search for Miles Davis art and photography, I found Parslow, and with him not only three, marvelous photographs of the jazz legend, but a lovely assortment of photographs taken throughout a long, exciting career; presently residing in Norway, Parslow’s work covers many decades, the photographs a reflection of his life from one adventure to another.

In the ‘70s Parslow spent time at Rolling Stone, so no doubt you will find a lot of great concert photos and shots of famous folks. From Hendrix to B.B. King, Jack Nicholson to Janis Joplin it is a collection well worth your time to peruse.

Each of Parslow’s collections, located on his website, are a delight to view, and I recommend highly doing so.

Parslow was kind enough to take a few minutes and chat with me about his work – especially the three, Miles Davis photographs I love so much.

Miles Davis Online: Let’s start with the two, ‘Peepshow’ photos titled ‘Miles Davis, 1969.’ What’s the story?

Jamie Parslow: These two were taken at the Monterey, California Jazz Festival. I talked my way to a backstage press pass and went from there.

Miles Davis Online: What about the 1970 photo of Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis?

Jamie Parslow: I had moved from San Francisco to New York, and with a nice recommendation from [photographer] Jim Marshall, I had met, and was doing some work for Bob Thiele, the Flying Dutchman.

These photos were taken at a combination 70th birthday celebration for Louis, and recording session for the Louis Armstrong and Friends What A Wonderful World album. Miles was one of many who came to wish Louis a happy birthday. Quite en event. But what did Miles say to Louis…?

Miles Davis Online: What was it like to photograph Miles Davis? Were you able to get a good sense of what kind of person he was?

Jamie Parslow: I can´t say I spent time with Miles, but I found him to be very congenial, cordial and patient with me, especially when I had my camera in his face! He never reprimanded me, never complained, on the contrary was very patient, would pause when he knew I was photographing him. I was in awe.

Miles Davis Online: How would you describe yourself as an artist? Does your work represent a specific ‘style?’

Jamie Parslow: A subjective documentary photographer. It´s a fine line between the personal and the private, a line I try and walk as often as possible.

Miles Davis Online: What will we be expecting to see in your future work?

Jamie Parslow: More personal work.

Miles Davis Online: Favorite Miles Davis album?

Jamie Parslow: I think I have to go with Bitches Brew. What a crew, what a gathering of some of the finest musicians at that time. A phenomenal album, innovative, brilliant!

Photographs are © Jamie Parslow

All of Parslow’s photos are for sale; prices available upon request

Miles Davis Should Get A Google Doodle To Celebrate 85th Birthday

According to a quick Google search, it appears that Miles Davis has yet to receive a Google Doodle.

I know. It’s hard to believe. But now Google and their talented team of designers can make things right with a Doodle dedicated to the jazz legend for what would be his 85th birthday next week (May 26).

There are going to be plenty of parties and concerts next week, featuring some terrific jazz players, celebrating Miles’ 85th birthday. What better time for Google designers to unveil a cool doodle to honor the late great jazz legend?

Aside from a fine Dizzy Gillespie doodle from last year – to celebrate his 93rd birthday -, I haven’t been able to find any other jazz artists in the doodle collection. No Duke Ellington and no Louis Armstrong, no Coltrane, Monk, Charlie Parker, Count Basie or Billie Holiday. And so on…

I’m going to have to insist a Miles Davis Doodle be designed and scheduled for display on the Google homepage.

Any day is a fine day to debut a Miles Davis doodle, but I just figure his 85th birthday next week provides a terrific reason to slide the jazz icon onto the doodle schedule.

It will be very cool and people will enjoy it. Let’s go Google! The world needs a Miles Davis doodle!

Miles Davis’ 85th Birthday Set For Big Show In NYC

Veteran producers Bob Belden and Brian Bacchus have lined up a stellar cast of vocalists and instrumentalists to celebrate Miles Davis’ 85th birthday at New York City’s Le Poisson Rouge on May 25.

Sing A Song for Miles: An 85th Birthday Tribute with Lyrics will explore the legacy of the iconic trumpeter with words and music.

For this gig, J.D. Walter, Cynthia Scott, Claudia Acuña, Sasha Dobson, Maya Azucena, Dean Bowman, Becca Stevens, Sachal Vasandani, Amanda Brecker, Theo Bleckmann and Somi will join guitarist John Hart, pianist Kirk Nurock, bassist Essiet Essiet, drummer Rocky Bryant, tabla player Badal Roy, trumpeter Tim Hagans and saxophonist JD Allen.

via Downbeat

Miles Davis | Around The Web

A Weekly Round-Up Of Miles Davis News And Notes

1. Charleston Jazz Orchestra to present music of Miles Davis

Honoring his legacy and celebrating his music, the Charleston Jazz Orchestra presents “The Music of Miles Davis” at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Charleston Music Hall. “Just like playing a Count Basie concert or a Duke Ellington concert, the hardest thing about this one is selecting the material, because there is so much from which to draw,” says CJO trumpeter and bandleader Charlton Singleton. “Of course, I knew we had to do some stuff from ‘Kind of Blue,’ which is widely regarded as the greatest jazz recording ever. [the post and courier]

2. According To Google’s “Instant Mix” Algorithm, Miles Davis And Faith Hill Sound Just Alike

Paul Lamere of the Music Machinery blog just posted an elaborate rant on Google Music’s “Instant Mix” feature, which attempts to create mixes of similar music for you. Lamere tried out Instant Mix to a hilarious end, also comparing it to iTunes Genius and The Echo Nest, which have been tried and tested mix solutions for a while now. Even though Google Music is a beta, shouldn’t the “Instant Mix” feature work at least a little bit? [business insider]

3. Cornell Dupree, guitarist for Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, dies

Cornell Dupree Jr., a guitarist who played in Aretha Franklin’s touring band, including on her 1971 album “Aretha Live at Fillmore West,” has died. [cbsnews.com]

4. Miles Davis – A Tribute to Jack Johnson

None of Miles Davis’ recordings has been more shrouded in mystery than Jack Johnson, yet none has better fulfilled Miles Davis’ promise that he could form the “greatest rock band you ever heard.” [why dontcha]

5. Miles Davis Jazz Festival set for Saturday, May 21

The Alton Museum of History and Art will present the 2011 Miles Davis Jazz Festival from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. this Saturday, May 21 at Trimpe Hall on the campus of Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL. Performers will include the Alton Landing Jazz Quintet, Jim Stevens Band, saxophonist Henry Miles’ quintet from Springfield, IL, and Mondinband with special guest Big George Brock. [st. louis jazz notes]

6. Bitches Brew – Miles Davis’ Ultimate Statement of Defiance

“Listening to the opening strands of chaos from album opener Pharaoh’s Dance, it’s clear that this is a revolution. 40 years later and the album’s carefully sculpted noise is still ahead of its’ time.” [afro-punk]

7. Like his mentor Miles Davis, Wallace Roney doesn’t like to be pigeonholed

Today’s jazz trumpet players have to follow in the footsteps of giants such as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and even Wynton Marsalis. With such a history preceding them, it must be daunting to try to carve out a career as an individual. Trumpeter Wallace Roney came up at the same time as Marsalis and garnered a lot of the same kind of high praise for knowing his jazz history. He was also known for having a style similar to Davis, yet in 1983, when he was 23, he accomplished the difficult task of impressing the master when he played at a Davis birthday gala at Carnegie Hall. He even shared the stage with his idol at the 1991 Montreux Jazz Festival. [nj.com]

Miles Davis In Ebony Magazine, January 1961

If you ever stumble across a January 1961 copy of Ebony magazine please secure it immediately because it features not only those old-school print ads that are fun to look at but also a fantastic article about Miles Davis.

It’s probably a long-shot to get a copy of the original print magazine, but lucky for us there is a digital version online via Google. Checkout the entire issue HERE!

Written by Marc Crawford, the article, titled ‘Miles Davis: Evil Genius of Jazz’, features some excellent photos and terrific quotes from the jazz legend. Miles’ father, Dr. Miles Davis II, is also featured with some insightful commentary about his son.

The section about Miles not interacting with the audience and what his mother thinks about it is great. Then there’s the conversation about his drug addiction, kicking the habit and how his life changed as a result of getting clean.

That’s just a few of the topics covered – There’s much more.

Miles may be shy. At least by his own admission, he objects to being an object of curiosity. He charges: “Sometimes a broad will walk up and ask for an autograph and get mad because I don’t carry a pen around with me to sign one. I sign an autograph every time I make a record, that’s my signature. And most of the times those broads really don’t want an autograph, they just want to be noticed.”

“I sign an autograph every time I make a record, that’s my signature.” How good is that quote?!

Crawford’s article is a wealth of compelling opinions and intriguing quotes from Miles, family members, friends and fellow musicians.

Would Miles Davis, most controversial musician in his idiom since they sent jazz up the Mississippi, have been one of its trumpeters if he had to do it all over again? Answers Miles: “I didn’t have a damn thing to do with this. I was minding my own business when something says to me ‘you ought to blow trumpet.’ I have just been trying ever since.”

All these years later, the article provides an opportunity to catch up with Miles on his personal and professional life in 1961, yet another important piece of the Miles Davis timeline. For those of us always looking for more insight into the jazz legend, the January 1961 Ebony magazine article about Miles Davis must be considered essential reading.

Update: Every Page of Every Ebony Issue From ’59 to 2008 Now Online — Ebony just partnered with Google to offer their entire 65-year archive for free browsing. Each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements.

Click here to find the January 1961 issue.

Miles Davis Award Going To Stanley Clarke At 2011 Montreal International Jazz Festival

The Miles Davis Award, celebrating the work and influence of an international jazz musician, goes to the bass-playing giant Stanley Clarke.

Clarke will be the 18th recipient of the Miles Davis Award, joining such previous Davis award winners as Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, Joe Zawinul and Pat Metheny.

The Miles Davis Award was created for the Montreal International Jazz Festival’s 15th anniversary in 1994 to honor a great international jazz musician for the entire body of his or her work and for that musician’s influence in regenerating the jazz idiom.

Stanley Clarke led the “bass revolution” of the ’70s, bringing the instrument to the height of respectability and paving the way for its use by soloists. Among his many accomplishments, Clarke is credited with pioneering the slap technique and inventing two new instruments: the piccolo bass and the tenor bass. His incredible mastery on both electric and acoustic bass and his creativity have been recognized with a slew of Grammys, Emmys, gold and platinum albums, and rankings among the world’s best bassists, etc.

The first bassist to headline international tours, he was sought out by the likes of Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards for numerous projects. He is also a composer, arranger, bandleader and performer of film scores (Boys N the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do With It…). A polyglot artist, equally fluent in electric and acoustic jazz, with an unparalleled skill, Clarke had already been proclaimed a legend by the age of 25!

Click here to read about all of this year’s Montreal International Jazz Festival’s honorees.

Miles Davis Sculpture Donated To Youngstown State University

Harry Meshel, a member of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, former president of the Ohio State Senate and a long-time fan of jazz, has donated sculptures of three legendary musicians to the Jazz Studies program in the Dana School of Music.

The sculptures by artist Ed Dwight depict Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and will be on display at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown.

via vindy.com

Miles Davis Down Under: Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Releases Full Program For Miles Davis Tribute Concerts

We’ve been following the news about the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis later this month. And now we know exactly what the ASO will be performing on May 13th and May 14th at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre.

Conducted by Joe Muccioli, the complete orchestra program will be:

• Overture in Four (To Gil and Miles, Miles Ahead, Bess you is my woman now, Gone)
• Blues for Pablo
• New Rhumba (from the Album Miles Ahead)
• Round Midnight
• So What
• Firebird Suite (1919): Berceuse and Finale by Igor Stravinsky
• Sketches of Spain (Concierto De Aranjuez, Will O’ the Wisp, The Pan Piper, Saeta, Solea, Song of Our Country)

The complete Sketches of Spain album! That is going to be a terrific show! The ASO certainly had plenty of classic Miles Davis work to choose from, but Sketches of Spain is right up there with one of Miles’ finest achievements, a beautiful and innovative masterpiece.

The entire program looks great; Firebird Suite (1919) deserves extra applause and the Overture in Four is set to be very special. But really, the entire evening of music should be amazing.

ASO Plays Miles Davis
Friday May 13, 8:00 pm
Saturday May 14, 8:00 pm
Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and jazz go hand in hand. Over the last decade the orchestra have shared the stage or paid tribute to many masters of the jazz world including Herbie Hancock, Lalo Schifrin, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

In 2011, the ASO will pay tribute to the most influential musician of the 20th century in Miles Davis whose career lasted more than 50 years, defied critics and audiences alike, showing that through constant reinvention, he was more than a jazz musician. Miles Davis was a cultural icon, a man whose musicianship and style were constantly ahead of the times. The ASO performs music from Miles Davis with Australian jazz royalty in the one and only James Morrison in an über cool tribute to the ̒Prince of Darkness’ Miles Davis.

Miles Davis / In Pictures

© Christian Coigny