Miles by Illinois

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[00:00:00]
Jason Croft: Good evening from Urbana and the University of Illinois. It's Prairie Performances, WILL's weekly show presenting classical and jazz from the heart of the prairie in central Illinois. Prairie Performances is made possible in part by funding from the John Frayne Graduate Student Classical Music Work Experience Endowment.

[00:00:28]
Mel Miller: Good evening and welcome to Prairie Performances. I'm your host, Mel Miller. Miles Davis is one of Illinois's most widely known jazz artists. Born in Alton, Illinois and raised in East St. Louis, Davis's career spanned five decades and a number of jazz eras from bebop to hard bop to his more eclectic electronic fusion releases, and his legacy continues to influence Illinois jazz musicians of today.

On this week's episode of Prairie Performances, you'll hear those Illinois artists pay tribute to Davis with their own renditions of some of his more popular works. Starting us off, Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble plays Davis's All Blues with Chicago-born Corey Wilkes on trumpet. Then Robert Irving III, another Chicago native, brings Davis to the keys with his rendition of Seven Steps to Heaven. We'll round that segment off with trumpeter Orbert Davis's take on Miles Ahead. That's coming up next here on Prairie Performances.


[00:32:07]
Mel Miller: Miles Ahead by Chicago trumpeter Orbert Davis. Before that, you heard Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble playing All Blues with Corey Wilkes on trumpet and Robert Irving III playing Seven Steps to Heaven. It's all part of this Prairie Performances Miles by Illinois featuring Miles Davis covers by jazz musicians from right here in the state of Illinois. I'm your host, Mel Miller.

While Orbert Davis isn't related to Miles Davis, the late artist has still played a meaningful role in Orbert Davis's music career. He's put on a number of performances in tribute to Miles, including his 2014 recording with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Sketches of Spain Revisited, which reimagines Miles Davis's rendition of the Concierto de Aranjuez. After that, you'll hear tenor saxophonist and jazz trumpeter Chico Freeman's original tribute Blues for Miles. That's coming up next here on Prairie Performances.

Blues for Miles by Chico Freeman. Before that, you heard Orbert Davis with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic performing the Concierto de Aranjuez. Two Illinois musicians paying tribute to East Saint Louis native Miles Davis on this episode of Prairie Performances titled Miles by Illinois. I'm your host, Mel Miller.

We're reaching the end of this night's episode. Thank you for joining me. I'll leave you with one last rendition of a Miles Davis tune by another jazz giant. Here's Herbie Hancock playing Milestones with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums.

Thank you so much for listening with me this evening here on Prairie Performances. Prairie Performances is a production of Illinois Public Media. I'm your host, Mel Miller. I hope you'll join me next time.