Chicago Celebrates Miles Davis in a 4 Month Festival

This year, Miles Davis would have turned 85 years old on May 26th. To mark the life of this legendary jazz musician, Chicago has embarked on a 4-month celebration of Miles Davis. The festival started on January 21st and will run until April 16th at the Auditorium Theatre and various jazz clubs and institutions throughout Chicago.

Among the highlights of the Miles Davis Festival:

Bitches Brew 40th Anniversary Band. Trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Darryl Jones, DJ Logic and others revisit Davis’ landmark album. 8 p.m. March 31 at Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln Ave.; $25; martyrslive.com.

“Vivid.” Roosevelt University’s Hard Bop Combo plays selections from Davis’ album “Kind of Blue.” 7:30 p.m. April 12 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy.; free; tickets at the Auditorium box office.

“Sketches of Blue: An Orbert Davis Tribute to Miles.” The Orbert Davis Sextet, with Ari Brown and Ernest Dawkins, plays portions of “Kind of Blue”; and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble performs sections of “Sketches of Spain.” 7:30 p.m. April 14 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy.; $30-$69; 800-982-2787, ticketmaster.com or the Auditorium box office.

River North Chicago Dance Company. The company’s artistic director, Frank Chaves, presents the world premiere of a work he has choreographed to recordings by Miles Davis. 8 p.m. April 16 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy; $30-$69; 800-982-2787, ticketmaster.com or the Auditorium box office.

“Davis’ influence on the world of music is immeasurable, consistently inventive and adventurous,” says Brett Batterson, executive director of the Auditorium Theatre. “This jazz genius was a pioneer in the development of bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz and jazz fusion. The Auditorium Theatre is proud to bring together Chicago’s music community and fans to salute Davis, celebrate his dizzyingly robust body of work, commission a new piece inspired by his legacy and create a new generation of Davis devotees. ”

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Bitches Brew LIVE by Miles Davis

Four decades later, it remains the great game changer, the genre-bending, barrier-smashing double LP that would become Miles Davis’ first RIAA gold album, and influence two – three! (so far) – generations of jazz and rock musicians to come. Released in April of 1970, Bitches Brew refracted the chaos and beauty of a society stretched (and stressed) to its breaking point, the penultimate creation of Miles’ career.

           

BITCHES BREW LIVE adds yet another dimension to the album’s prismatic reputation.  Its nine rare live performances comprise repertoire from the studio album and the one that preceded it, 1969’s In A Silent Way.  The live tracks were recorded at festivals nine months before Bitches Brew’s release (Newport Jazz, July 1969, the first three tracks, previously unissued) and four months after (Isle Of Wight, August 1970, the final six tracks).  This fascinating 59-minute glimpse into ‘the evolution of the groove’ will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting February 8, 2011, through Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

“When I hired Miles [for the 1969 festival],” recalls Newport founder and impresario George Wein in 2010, “I thought it would be with Wayne Shorter and Herbie and Ron and Tony.”  Wein refers to Miles’ so-called ‘second great quintet’ (of Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams).  

           

“Miles Davis was a beautiful human being,” muses Wein, who first began booking him around New England in the 1950s.  “He had a charisma about him that a lot of people love to write about.  People grew up making love to Miles Davis’ music.  They were playing his records while they were in bed with their mistress or their lady or whatever.  That’s legend.  He was the only one, the bebop era, that came out of it playing the melody that people could understand.  When he played ‘On the Street Where You Live’ or ‘Bye, Bye Blackbird’ and then Kind of Blue, it was all simple, sweet music — but with a modern tinge.  And that’s where the legend grew.”

           

BITCHES BREW LIVE by MILES DAVIS

Selections: 1. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down • 2. Sanctuary • 3. It’s About That Time/The Theme • 4. Directions • 5. Bitches Brew • 6. It’s About That Time • 7. Sanctuary • 8. Spanish Key • 9. The Theme.

Tracks 1-3 recorded at Newport Jazz Festival, July 5, 1969, previously unreleased.

Tracks 4-9 recorded at Isle Of Wight Festival, August 29, 1970.

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Dave Brubeck Receives Miles Davis Award

A second Miles Davis award was handed out today at the Montreal Jazz Festival to legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. The other Miles Davis award was given last week to Saxophonist Sonny Rollins.

Brubeck, is credited with moving jazz west to California in the 1940s with his distinctive style. His 1959 album "Time Out" is considered a jazz classic.

Dave Brubeck knew Miles Davis and recalls a special day with the jazz legend: "One day he came to my house, and my kids, when they came home from school, they saw Miles and I playing basketball,'' he said. ''They couldn't believe that.

"Then he went to the punching bag. He liked to box. Did you know that? He was very interested in sports."

He also had a special bond with him: "People said he could be hard to get along with but we got along great. We were truly friends. To get this award, this is wonderful because I admired him so much. It is a great tribute to have that."

Here's an all time favorite of the Dave Brubeck Quartet "Take Five":

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