Perhaps the most prolific years in the career of Miles Davis were 1949-1959, starting with the album Birth of the Cool and epitomized with the most legendary album in jazz history, Kind of Blue (1959).
To pay tribute to these historic years in jazz and Davis’ career, CAMI Music has joined forces with Miles Davis Properties, LLC and Blue Note Records for an innovative music and historical production, The Miles Davis Experience: 1949-1959.
The tour will feature three shows in Washington State:
- Oct. 28th at the Washington Center For The Performing Arts in Olympia
- Oct. 29th at the Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham
- Oct. 30th at the Columbia Theater in Longview
Led by Blue Note Records artist and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, the performance will follow Miles’ musical development chronologically during this time period, focusing on the challenges and optimism in post-war America, the civil rights struggle and the historical milestones that Miles pioneered.
More than just a musical performance, the show will feature iconic era images brought together by beat poet-style narrator and actor, Donald Lacy. Akinmusire will be joined by the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, featuring Walter Smith III (tenor sax), Sam Harris (piano), Harish Raghavan (bass) and Justin Brown (drums). According to the press release:
These special performances will reintroduce Miles to fans and give a new generation of music lovers a more complete understanding of jazz and Miles’ influence on today’s popular music.
The US tour will run from Sept. 28 to Nov. 20, 2011.
T’would be nice to hear Ambrose’s performance. His challenge will be to play Miles material without feeling constricted.