On the eve of the limited release of the new Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead starring Don Cheadle, we've been checking out the incredible original motion picture soundtrack for the film. This is a project that excites us here at Jazz 91.9 WCLK because we stand on the frontline of supporting the legacy of Miles Davis every single day. One must remember that Miles Davis is probably one of the most important artists in popular music, largely due to his prescient nature. He foresaw the evolution of popular music before many of his peers, in any genre, could even wrap their minds around the change. This soundtrack documents this ethos and serves as a guide through the twist and turns of his career.
Featuring classic Miles standards like So What and Seven Steps To Heaven, what's also wonderful about this release is that it's interspersed with snippets from the actual film. These bits show just how brilliant Don Cheadle's performance is and also what a true, iconic character Miles Davis was. There are also tunes, such as Frelon Brun and Black Satin, that may be new to listeners because they were deeper album tracks from some of his classic recordings. The young lion known as Robert Glasper, who was commissioned to help produce the soundtrack, keeps up Miles' explorative vision and brings in new artist like Pianist Taylor Eigsti, Hip-Hop legend Pharoah Monche and others. This is truly a set that has one foot firmly planted in the bronze past of Jazz's heyday, whilst stepping unapologetically ahead into the unknown future.
More information about the soundtrack and it's companion album Everything's Beautiful can be found here.