Previously unheard Miles Davis to be released for Record Store Day 2018

An unfinished project from 1985 will finally see the light of day

Author: Chris GilvearPublished 9th Mar 2018

A previously unheard Miles Davis recording is set to be released for the first time. A project called ‘Rubberband of Life’ featuring Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan was shelved by Warner records in 1985; Miles ended up recording his Tutu album with Marcus Miller instead.

The music remained unfinished until a few months ago when the original producers (Randy Hall and Zane Giles) recruited Miles’s nephew Vince Wilburn Jr. and Grammy-winning singer Ledisi to complete the EP. A whole album release is on the cards for later this year.

“It was fat grooves, really funky, Miles talking. It was street and funky and dirty. We didn’t go after writing a great jazz song, Miles wanted the street thing; he wanted the chord changes he wanted to play. The basis was to take it to the street like ‘On The Corner’, it was Miles taking more chances,” said Hall.  Giles added, “Miles kept saying ‘I don’t wanna do my usual stuff. I wanna do something different.’”

The EP set to be released on Record Store Day – April 21, with an album sleeve featuring a painting by Miles Davis himself: