From "This Is It", an article in the October 2019 ("Take 269") issue of UK music monthly Uncut:

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In 1986, MILES DAVIS recorded a full studio album, Rubberband, that has languished unreleased in the vaults - until now. Here, the album's key personnel reveal all about Davis's remarkable working practices, including heavy metal guitar solos, cosmic shifts and flamboyant costume changes. "He chose to embrace the new, right to the end," John Lewis hears. "Apart from Miles and Bowie, how many guys have ever done that?"

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[...]

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Miles always had an ear for pop’s cutting edge. His experiments in jazz rock in the late 1960s came after exposure to the music of Sly Stone, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix and, by the early ’80s, he was embracing a new wave in R&B – the so-called “post disco” club music of Prince, Patrice Rushen, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Rick James and Teena Maria, as well as the “go-go” sound coming out of Washington DC. He was also fascinated by the dazzling, digital soundscapes being created by producers like Marcus Miller (with Aretha Franklin), Quincy Jones (with Michael Jackson), Bill Laswell (with Herbie Hancock) and Jam & Lewis (with the likes of Alexander O’Neal and Janet Jackson).

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Rubberband was supposed to be Miles' first album for Warners, but it was rejected. It is now being released.

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The article also has a sidebar, "Miles Davis and Prince: The Prince of darkness meets His Purpleness", which features Eric Leeds talking about the track Prince sent Miles in late 1985:

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“Prince came to me and our trumpeter Matt Blistan and asked our opinion of it,” says Leeds. “If Prince was going to ask me that, it meant he wasn’t 100 per cent sure it was great. I said, ‘If you’re going to do something with Miles, this shouldn’t be it.’ And he agreed. ”You can find “Can I Play With U” online, but it was never planned to be included on Rubberband. It did, however, influence several tracks on the album, most obviously “Give It Up”.

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Leeds also talks about what happened on New Year's Eve 1987 and beyond:

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“Miles played with us onstage for one of the songs. To the best of my knowledge, that is the only time they were in a space together, performing. They became friendly and certainly stayed in communication with each other.” Leeds even confirms that other tracks were later sent to Miles to be used. “But I have no idea whether Miles ever heard them!”

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Perhaps someone should direct him to http://www.princevault.co...netration) and to the various (soundboard) bootlegs of Miles and band performing these tracks live.

BartVanHemelen said:

From "This Is It", an article in the October 2019 ("Take 269") issue of UK music monthly Uncut:

.

In 1986, MILES DAVIS recorded a full studio album, Rubberband, that has languished unreleased in the vaults - until now. Here, the album's key personnel reveal all about Davis's remarkable working practices, including heavy metal guitar solos, cosmic shifts and flamboyant costume changes. "He chose to embrace the new, right to the end," John Lewis hears. "Apart from Miles and Bowie, how many guys have ever done that?"

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[...]

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Miles always had an ear for pop’s cutting edge. His experiments in jazz rock in the late 1960s came after exposure to the music of Sly Stone, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix and, by the early ’80s, he was embracing a new wave in R&B – the so-called “post disco” club music of Prince, Patrice Rushen, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Rick James and Teena Maria, as well as the “go-go” sound coming out of Washington DC. He was also fascinated by the dazzling, digital soundscapes being created by producers like Marcus Miller (with Aretha Franklin), Quincy Jones (with Michael Jackson), Bill Laswell (with Herbie Hancock) and Jam & Lewis (with the likes of Alexander O’Neal and Janet Jackson).

.

Rubberband was supposed to be Miles' first album for Warners, but it was rejected. It is now being released.

.

The article also has a sidebar, "Miles Davis and Prince: The Prince of darkness meets His Purpleness", which features Eric Leeds talking about the track Prince sent Miles in late 1985:

.

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Leeds also talks about what happened on New Year's Eve 1987 and beyond:

.

“Miles played with us onstage for one of the songs. To the best of my knowledge, that is the only time they were in a space together, performing. They became friendly and certainly stayed in communication with each other.” Leeds even confirms that other tracks were later sent to Miles to be used. “But I have no idea whether Miles ever heard them!”

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Perhaps someone should direct him to http://www.princevault.co...netration) and to the various (soundboard) bootlegs of Miles and band performing these tracks live.

Thanks Bart!

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What wonderful news !

A Miles Davis fan as I am and looking very much forward to this.

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Last year they already did release a 4 tracks 'Rubber Band EP' for Record Store Day 2018.

The new album will be released on (double) vinyl and CD and digital next September 6th, and will also have the original cover art - painted by Liles Davis himself.

One track on the new album will have Ledisi on vocals.

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find more info here :

https://www.frontview-magazine.be/en/news/miles-david-album-rubberband-out-on-6-september

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And here you can listen to the Rubberband EP online :

http://www.openculture.com/2019/06/lost-miles-davis-album-rubberband-will-finally-be-released-this-fall-hear-the-title-track-rubberband-in-five-different-versions.html

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Another article from Pitchfork :

https://pitchfork.com/news/miles-davis-lost-album-rubberband-set-for-release/

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To answer Butterscotch's question on another thread: no, the "Rubberband" sessions have nothing to do with Prince. "Give It Up" (originally remixed and released as "High Speed Chase" on "Doo-Bop" in 1992) sounds like it's vaguely inspired by Prince, but as the track was remixed again in 2018/2019, I guess we'll never know what the original track from 1985 sounds like. The production on the released version might be very different from the production on the 1985 version.

olb99 said:

To answer Butterscotch's question on another thread: no, the "Rubberband" sessions have nothing to do with Prince. "Give It Up" (originally remixed and released as "High Speed Chase" on "Doo-Bop" in 1992) sounds like it's vaguely inspired by Prince, but as the track was remixed again in 2018/2019, I guess we'll never know what the original track from 1985 sounds like. The production on the released version might be very different from the production on the 1985 version.

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And that's the pain in the ass about this Rubberband release. I want to know how much of it is actually from 1985 and what has been recorded later. And of the stuff that has been recorded later, how faithfully have they stuck to the original grooves, chords, and rhythms, etc.? Despite sharing the same Miles trumpet lines, "High Speed Chase" and "Give It Up" are very different indeed. But which, if any, is a genuine resemblance to what Miles originally recorded? Is any of the 2019 Rubberband material (aside from Miles' trumpet lines) from 1985? Have they faithfully re-created it? Or are they completely different? I guess we will never know unless some bootleg surfaces...

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[Edited 9/9/19 22:11pm]

toejam said:

toejam said:

toejam said:

olb99 said:

To answer Butterscotch's question on another thread: no, the "Rubberband" sessions have nothing to do with Prince. "Give It Up" (originally remixed and released as "High Speed Chase" on "Doo-Bop" in 1992) sounds like it's vaguely inspired by Prince, but as the track was remixed again in 2018/2019, I guess we'll never know what the original track from 1985 sounds like. The production on the released version might be very different from the production on the 1985 version.

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And that's the pain in the ass about this Rubberband release. I want to know how much of it is actually from 1985 and what has been recorded later. And of the stuff that has been recorded later, how faithfully have they stuck to the original grooves, chords, and rhythms, etc.? Despite sharing the same Miles trumpet lines, "High Speed Chase" and "Give It Up" are very different indeed. But which, if any, is a genuine resemblance to what Miles originally recorded? Is any of the 2019 Rubberband material (aside from Miles' trumpet lines) from 1985? Have they faithfully re-created it? Or are they completely different? I guess we will never know unless some bootleg surfaces...

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[Edited 9/9/19 22:11pm]

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I absolutely agree. Earlier this year I told George Cole (who wrote the liner notes) that I was hoping they would include the original mixes in addition to the remixes. They didn't, obviously, and that's a shame.

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For three of the tracks that were previously released "as-is" in 2011, we have a pretty good idea of what the original 1985 mixes sound like: "Maze" (unedited, non-remixed), "See I See" (non-remixed), and "Rubberband" (non-remixed). The remixes are clearly different, but not that different.

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At the other end of the spectrum, "So Emotional" is probably nothing like the original recording.

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Vince Wilburn, Randy Hall & co. took this approach because the original recordings sounded "dated". That's a very bad reason, IMO. Some of the tracks were probably incomplete, so it kind of makes sense to complete them, but the original demos should have been included.

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Now that the original multitracks have been digitized, there's still hope that the original versions will be released. Someday.

Listening to "Rubberband" I would much prefer to hear the orignal 1985 production only, not the recently updated production. Reason being is that it fascinates me the sounds and feels of that period and I love the fact that Miles Davis wanted an album that reflected what was current in those times ie Prince! While Prince did not contribute to this album some of the tracks are clearly influenced by him and his MPLS sound. My overall feeling listening to it was that if Miles got Prince to produce his album in 1985 it would have been amazing! Miles's horn sounds great on these grooves but they lack the power of Prince playing them. Imagine if he was playing the drums, rhythm and bass guitars on "Rubberband" - it would be far more hard hitting and convincing imo.

I'm a massive Miles fan and I wasn't expecting much from Rubberband, but having listened to it, I think it works really well as it is. My first reaction is always 'leave it as it was, don't touch it', and the idea that it had been finished now put me off.... however, it has been finished by the original producers of the album from the 80s....

Also, Miles wasn't that precious. He would give his tapes to Teo Macero and let him edit them... he would, certainly by the 80s, let someone else produce a track and just play trumpet over it... and he was always looking for new talent, new sounds, new directions, for better or worse... also Rubberband was going to feature young soul/r'n'b vocalists on one of his records for the first time when it was originally planned, so the fact that they have done that now kind of makes sense to me.

Once I ditched my expecations and purist snob-nose, there were a lot of things to like about this album.

No, we'll never know if Miles would have liked it - he's gone, that's the way it is, just like with Prince now - but there's no real reason to think he wouldn't have liked it, either.

Would I like to hear the original versions? I guess, out of curiosity, but I'm happy the record label finished the record to a professional standard and put it out. It's a decent fusion/soul/r'n'b album as released now.

I also enjoy this album very much. Even "Paradise". The only song that does nothing to me is "So Emotional" (ironically). And I could do without Randy Hall's vocals on "I Love What We Make Together". Other than that, it's a fun, funky album. Featuring Miles. Just like "Evolution of the Groove", the remix EP from 2007, which I also enjoy a lot. I actually don't have any problem with remixes. They can be fun. And they can be a way for a younger audience to discover Miles (?).

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But the archivist/completist in me still wants the original mixes.

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databank: I'm also not sure what the target audience is. Miles' fans who don't like the 80s/90s period won't like "Rubberband", remixed or not. Fans of the 80s/90s period won't need remixes and will be completely fine with original mixes. I mean, "Tutu" sounds "dated" and it's perfect as it is. So, yeah, maybe the Miles Davis Estate is trying to introduce a new generation to Miles. Which Miles himself would maybe approve. As Rimshottbob said, Miles didn't care too much about what happened after he left the studio. He trusted people like Teo, Marcus, and others.

olb99 said:

But the archivist/completist in me still wants the original mixes

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My sentiments too. I'm fine with the idea of Randy Hall etc. "finishing" the album. But I also want to know what they had to work with originally just to satisfy my own decades long historical curiosity about Miles' always evolving sound.

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An excellent review can be found here:

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http://artsfuse.org/18822...Pankq6tYgE

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It mentions Prince several times.

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"Is Rubberband a worthy Miles Davis record? I don’t mean to be evasive or ontological, but the answer depends upon what you think a “Miles Davis record” is. [...]"

From what I gather here the album was 'remixed' or at least 'some' postproduction was added.

If Miles presented a complete album, not just a stack of demo's, then why the remixing and/or postproduction?

What if the Estate starts doing this to Prince tracks?

udo said:

jdcxc said:

Still suprised that the Estate’s talks with the Miles camp about a future release is not bigger news.

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The only surprise might be when the CD with the Miles tracks lands in my sweaty palms...

udo said:

jdcxc said:

udo said:

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The only surprise might be when the CD with the Miles tracks lands in my sweaty palms...

I want Eric Leeds proved wrong...there is more Miles/Prince collabs than he knows of.

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Vince Wilburn is probably still talking about the same old tracks ("Can I Play With U?", Miles' studio recordings of the Madhouse tracks, and possibly their live "duet" at Paisley Park). They already tried to release them on the aborted "Last Word" box set in 2001 (the unreleased box set, not the one released in 2015). Prince didn't give his permission at the time.

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I would be happy to be wrong, of course.

I remember Prince talked about tracks with Miles Davis playing piano or something similar.

The Miles Davis autobiography with collaborator Quiney Troupe, mentions Prince intermittently.

Miles respected Prince's musicianship.

olb99 said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

I remember Prince talked about tracks with Miles Davis playing piano or something similar.

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Yes, that was in 1998: http://princetext.tripod...._gw98.html

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I've actually recorded some indescribable music with Miles Davis -- long improvisations that I will release at some point. But again, I want to wait until the spirit moves me, you know. Bring those recordings to the public when it feels right. Like release it on his birthday or his death day, when Miles was released from the circle of life and death.

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Nobody knows what he was talking about, though (Alan Leeds included).

[Edited 10/1/19 1:33am]

olb99 said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

I remember Prince talked about tracks with Miles Davis playing piano or something similar.

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Yes, that was in 1998: http://princetext.tripod...._gw98.html

[Edited 10/1/19 1:33am]

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Yes, but not only this one. I remember anothre interview where he talked about Miles Davis playing piano, more or less 1998/1999 is I remember well.

fabriziovenerandi said:

olb99 said:

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Yes, that was in 1998: http://princetext.tripod...._gw98.html

[Edited 10/1/19 1:33am]

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Yes, but not only this one. I remember anothre interview where he talked about Miles Davis playing piano, more or less 1998/1999 is I remember well.

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That rings a bell. But I don't think Prince ever said those piano "sessions" were recorded. I think he just mentioned that Miles played a piano. Somewhere. Sometime. When he was around.

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I can easily picture Miles sitting at a piano for a couple of minutes and playing a few chords for Prince. He did that all the time. But it was probably nothing "serious". Something like "Blues in F (My Ding)" on "Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5", for example. Except it was not recorded.

olb99 said:

olb99 said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

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Yes, but not only this one. I remember anothre interview where he talked about Miles Davis playing piano, more or less 1998/1999 is I remember well.

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That rings a bell. But I don't think Prince ever said those piano "sessions" were recorded. I think he just mentioned that Miles played a piano. Somewhere. Sometime. When he was around.

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Maybe your memory is better with mine, you are right.

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fabrizio