Miles Davis returns…
I was doing a little frog hopping on the internet, trying to catch something to write about, when I happened to stumble upon something great. It seems as though the long-gone soul of jazz, Miles Davis, still lives, and is supposedly in India. That’s right. Come April 15th Times Square Records will be releasing the 2-CD set, Miles From India.
This album has supposedly been quite an ambitious project, created by former producers of Mr. Davis, Bob Belden and Louiz Banks. The two producers are taking bits from such classic Davis albums like Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way, and Kind of Blue with an east meets west sensibility.
Miles From India was recorded around the world, spanning from India to New York to Los Angeles, and features an onslaught of musicians from, including just about anyone alive whose ever worked with Miles in the past. Evidently, listeners are going to get a mix of ‘sutar and tablas, ghatam and khanjira, mridangam and Carnatic violin blending seamlessly with muted trumpet and saxophones, alongside screaming electric guitar and grooving electric bass lines that all come to rest on a water-bed piano, where it’s a cool, profound fusion of Indian classical and American jazz.
There is even going to be a few live performances in the future, with recurring big jazz name musicians such as Ron Carter, Lenny White, Wallace Roney, Pete Cosey, Badal Roy, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Louiz Banks, Benny Reitveld with more to be announced. They’ll first be dazzling minds at the New York City Town Hall on May 9th, followed by a stop at the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts for the SF Jazz Fest on May 31st.
Here’s what some have to say:
“The Miles From India project is a testament to how far, wide and everlasting, the Miles Davis influence reaches. In the span of 50 years, the music of Kind Of Blue and Bitches Brew still inspires new exploration.”-Lenny White
“It’s wonderful to be involved with this project. For me personally, it was amazing to be able to play the music of Miles Davis with legendary Miles alumni that I have been listening to all my life while simultaneously engaging my Indian-American identity.” -Rudresh Mahanthappa
I haven’t heard it yet, but already I’m getting hot pants just thinking of how good this is going to be. With some of the most talented musicians and cross-cultural sounds of classic Miles songs, I’m sure we can expect a beautiful painting of music that would get the stamp of approval by the late Mr. Davis.
Pre-Order via Amazon
Check Out:
Miles Davis & John Coltrane - So What (Live 1958)
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