The Miles Davis Radio Project - 1990

Lineage: Studio DAT Masters (48k, from The David Gans Collection) > Tascam DA-40 > Tascam DA-3000 > wav 16/48 (transferred by Charlie Miller) > iZotope RX7 Advanced > iZotope Ozone 5 Advanced > CD Wave > FLAC


7 episodes (8 files)
Total time: 458:38 min.


Notes:

Capturing this mercurial and mythic figure in contemporary jazz presented a daunting task. Zouk Productions proved up to the challenge, in this effective and compelling series. Produced during the period when Miles Davis was writing his autobiography, The Miles Davis Radio Project includes exclusive interview material with Miles, rare recordings of him rehearsing his band in preparation for a tour and never-before-released outtakes from some of his classic works. The series includes important broadcast �firsts� - a newly discovered interview with Charlie Parker and the long-sought-after first recording with John Coltrane. Some of the music industry�s most renowned figures, including Dizzy Gillespie, Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones and Carlos Santana pay tribute to one of this country�s greatest musicians in a series that also serves as an introduction to jazz. The Miles Davis Radio Project, produced by Steve Rowland with Quincy Troupe and Jay Allison, writers Larry Abrams, Steve Rowland and Jay Allison and hosted by Danny Glover, is a milestone in radio biography destined to become the definitive record of the career of this important musician. For The Miles Davis Radio Project, a 1991 Peabody Award to Zouk Productions.


--- Episode 1: Miles Davis, The Early Years 1926-1946

This serves as both an introduction to Davis� extraordinary career and also paints a picture of his youth in East St. Louis, Illinois. The show features a demonstration of �Round Midnight performed by trumpeter Jon Faddis.


--- Episode 2: New York to Paris and Back 1946-1955

This explores Davis� move from Illinois to New York City to replace Dizzy Gillespie in the Charlie Parker Quintet at age nineteen. The program includes a rare and unreleased excerpt of John Coltrane�s first recording.


--- Episode 3: Miles Davis, Midnight Idol 1955-1959

This explores Davis� rise to celebrity during the late 1950s, featuring demonstrations by saxophonist Andrew White, pianist George Duke and drummer Tony Williams.


--- Episode 4: The 1960s are Electric, 1960-1969

This explores another extraordinary Miles Davis/Gil Evans recording � Sketches of Spain and includes several never released outtakes from the session, featuring demonstrations from drummer Lenny White and pianist George Duke.


--- Episode 5: Miles Davis, Retirement & Rebirth, The 70s & 80s

This looks further into Davis� influential electric bands and now classic recordings Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, Big Fun, Get Up With It and others. It features demonstrations from trumpeter Olu Dara and guitar legend Carlos Santana.


--- Episode 6: �Behind the Scenes with Miles Davis�

1. Columbia Records studio outtakes
2.The making of �Tutu� with Marcus Miller and Tommy LiPuma
3. Miles in Rehearsal


--- Episodes 7 & 8:

A two-hour �music special� which feature a group of unreleased recordings of Miles band from the late 1980�s interspersed with rare live recordings of earlier bands, and comments from artists like Art Blakey and Joni Mitchell about the live performance experience.


Thanks to David Gans for this superb copy and thanks to Charlie Miller for his persistance in getting a great transfer.

Edited and mastered by SIRMick (January, 2020)

Images for all shows as well as full size images for this show.

Images for this show: