Celebrating Miles Davis at 100

Tuesday 26th May marks the centenary of the birth of the most influential and respected jazz musician of all time – Miles Davis.

In the run up to this “milestone”, Jazz FM will be celebrating in various ways with a huge selection of programming.

Saturday 23rd May

6pm – Chris Philips. Chris will feature a whole stack of Miles recordings as he goes crate digging in his own collection.

9pm – The Miles Davis Playback – Miles Smiles. Jazz duo of saxophonist Binker Golding and drummer Moses Boyd spend an hour listening to Miles Davis album ‘Miles Smiles’ from 1967, and discussing the legacy of the LP, from the way its influenced musicians, to the “terrible” album artwork.

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Sunday 24th May

9pm - Miles Ahead: Don Cheadle in conversation with Jez Nelson – delving into the Jazz FM Archive, from 2015 there’s a 60 minute conversation with the actor, writer and director who created the movie ‘Miles Ahead’ and played the title role. Don talks to Jez about his long-running obsession with Miles Davis’s life and music, and talks about which cuts from which albums were chosen for the film.

10pm - Jez Nelson’s Miles Davis special - two whole hours of Miles Davis selections featuring interview clips from Jez’s personal archive of Miles’s sidemen and alumni such as Billy Cobham and Chick Corea.

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Bank Holiday Monday 25th May

6.30am – 6pm – Join Nigel Williams, Daneille Perry and Chris Philips for a special day the features Miles Davis recordings and interpretations of his music by others, plus audio from those musicians who have something to say about Miles the man.

6pm – Miles Davis’s Greatest (Side 1). Join Jazz FM’s presenters as they select their favourite Miles pieces and why they love them.

8pm – The Long Player Special: Kind of Blue at 60 (repeat). From the Jazz FM Archive in 2019 when Miles' seminal album ‘Kind of Blue’ turned 60, this special featurette explores the story behind it and why it was so special to musicians, fans and Miles family members, before we play the album in full and in release order.

9pm – Marcus Brigstocke’s Jazz Family Trees – Miles Davis at 100. The comedian and self-confessed jazz nerd returns for a special edition of his show which looks at the musicians Miles worked with through the recordings they created together

10pm – Miles in Montreux. A special compilation of Miles performances recorded across his various concerts at the Montreux Jazz Festival and features an interview with the Festival’s president and CEO Thierry Amsallem.

11pm – Emma Jean Thackray’s Miles Mix. The winner of the Innovation Award at last month’s Jazz FM Awards bends the sounds and creates a unique and mind-bending mix of Miles Davis recordings

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Tuesday 26th May – HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILES

6.30am – 6pm – Nigel, Danielle and Simon celebrate the day with more Miles tunes across the day

6pm – 7pm – Miles Davis’s Greatest (Side 2). Following on from last nights special, more Jazz FM presenters select their most cherished Miles’ recordings and tell us why

7-9pm – Dinner Jazz with Mark Walker. Featuring Miles’ more mellow recordings peppered throughout the show

10pm – Late Night China Moses – Miles Davis Special. China play’s a hand-picked two-hour selection of Miles, from ‘Round About Midnight to Doo-Bop, she’ll have classics and deep cuts, alongside covers by artists he’s inspired