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A new book that focuses exclusively on the final decade of the life, recorded output and live shows of legendary trumpeter Mr. Miles Davis.

The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis 1980 – 1991 by George Cole

The Last Miles is the first book to focus exclusively on the final decade of the life and music of legendary Jazz musician Miles Davis. This is a period that has all too often been dismissed by critics and fans of Miles’ – in favour of his perhaps more widely known earlier period.

George Cole's book aims to show how even in his final years; Miles was still exploring, still changing and still pushing at the edges of jazz. The Last Miles contains interviews with almost 100 people including, band members, session musicians, producers, engineers, management and road crew. There are also interviews with members from Miles’ earlier bands. Miles’ only daughter Cheryl also talks about her father.

Those interviewed for the new book include:

1980s band members - 31 out of the 36 band members Miles performed alongside in his final decade including: Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones, Robben Ford, Bob Berg, Mike Stern, Robert Irving III, Hiram Bullock, John Scofield, Foley, Ricky Wellman, Mino Cinelu, Adam Holzman and Tom Barney. In a monumental effort, every bassist, guitarist and keyboard player is interviewed.

Musical associates such as: George Duke, Paul Buckmaster, Branford Marsalis, Paolo Rustichelli, Chaka Khan, Steve Porcaro, David Sanborn, Wallace Roney and Easy Mo Bee.

Session musicians who worked with him, including: Barry Finnerty, Paulinho DaCosta, Jean-Paul Bourelly and Michal Urbaniak.

Producers including: Teo Macero, Tommy LiPuma, Zane Giles, Randy Hall and George Butler.

Former band members Don Alias, Pete Cosey, Dave Holland, Michael Henderson, Dave Liebman and Mike Zwerin.

Engineers such as: Stanley Tonkel, Don Puluse, Reggie Dozier, Jay Messina, Bruce Miller, Steven Strassman and D’Anthony Johnson.

Road crew and management including Gordon Meltzer, Mark Rothbaum, Ron Lorman and Patrick Murray.

Miles The Man

Miles’ music is explored through the albums he made in this period, and a song-by-song analysis provides many new and interesting stories. There is also a massive chapter (coming in at almost 40,000 words) on Mile’s live music.

The Last Miles also examines Miles’ other recordings (such as soundtracks like Street Smart and Dingo), guest recordings (with artists such as Chaka Khan, Toto, Cameo, Paolo Rustichelli and Shirley Horn), cover versions, compilations, videos and DVDs, tribute albums and unreleased material from the 1980s, including the story behind the abandoned Warner Bros retrospective, The Last Word.

Other chapters examine Miles the man, and his life and music before 1975. The latter chapter explores controversial areas such as the role Teo Macero played in the making of Bitches Brew, how Miles composed his music and the story behind On the Corner. Another chapter describes what Miles did during his five-year lay-off – and reveals that Miles was more actively involved in music during this period than is often described.

Also included are a discography which includes a look at alternative releases (including SACD, DVD-Audio and Japan Master Sound titles), a list of Miles’ live repertoire, band line-ups throughout the final decade and useful books and websites.

Last but not least, many musicians from Miles’ 1980’s bands and earlier periods deliver their verdict on the music Miles played in his final decade, and show how Miles and his music still sharply divide opinion today.

A (Select) Discography

Since the release of 1945’s First Miles album on the Savoy label, until the end of his recording career in his 60’s Miles Davis has remained one of the most prolific of all musicians in terms of both his studio and live recordings output. Miles worked as a solo performer, in bands, as a guest on countless records by other artists and worked with almost everyone it seems – Charlie Parker to Chaka Khan and all points in between.

To compile a full discography of this body of work would be a near impossible task given the diversity of labels and releases over those years. For those who want a full list we suggest you give the excellent Jazz Disco website a glance at: http://www.jazzdisco.org/miles/cat/, for a sampling of some of the records made around the time period covered in The Last Miles, just take a look at any one of these fine titles:

The Man with the Horn (1980)
Shout 12” (1982)
Miles! Miles! Miles! (Live in Japan '81) (1982)
Atmosphere (1983)
Decoy (1983)
You're Under Arrest (1984)
Time After Time 12” (1984)
Miles Davis & Marcus Miller - Siesta (1987)
Miles Davis, Live in Warsaw '88 (1988)
Miles in Paris (1989)
Miles Davis Band Live Tutu (1989)
Miles Live in Montreux (1989)
Miles Davis Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival (1989)
The Hot Spot (1990)
Sing in Singen (1990)
Shirley Horn - You Won't Forget Me (1990)
Doo-Bop (1991)
Blow/Fantasy (1991)
Miles and Quincy Live at Montreux (1991)
Black Devil (1991)

For more information about the book, along with exclusive Miles-related interviews and images, visit the author’s website at: www.thelastmiles.com.

Exclusive extracts from the book can be accessed by following this link to Marcus Miller's official website.

The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis 1980 – 1991 is available to buy now, from Equinox Publishing.

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