Wednesday, February 25

Tag: Benjamin Akintuyosi

Miles – Southwark Playhouse
London

Miles – Southwark Playhouse

The Southwark Playhouse (Borough) was heaving and giddy for the Monday press night of Miles, which swaggers into London after dazzling Edinburgh Fringe last year. Two young women were sat next to me. We chatted before the show started. They are both actors, blessed with good looks, quick wit and youthful enthusiasm. They were amused to hear I’m reviewing the show. Why? One of them turned out to be to be Amelia Bright, Assistant Director on this production. Written and directed by Oliver Kaderbhai, the concept of this show was crafted by globally renowned jazz trumpet whizz, Jay Phelps. He also happens play one of two characters in Miles. Phelps plays a thinly veiled version of himself. His co-star, Benjamin Akintuyosi, plays Miles Davis. Phelps isn’t messing about. The man with the trum...
Miles – Summerhall TechCube
Scotland

Miles – Summerhall TechCube

Recorded in March 1959 and released in August the same year, Kind of Blue consists of five tracks, totaling 45 minutes and 45 seconds of what is often considered the most important jazz ever recorded. It fuelled the progression not just of jazz, but also of soul, funk, hip-hop, and even mainstream popular music—impacting the likes of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and beyond. And yet, Miles Davis himself dismissed the label “jazz,” remarking that “it’s just what white folks call our music.” How did he create, orchestrate, and supervise the album Kind of Blue? While no one would accuse Miles of false modesty, his explanation was disarmingly simple: they assembled the best—or most appropriate—musicians for the task. The album marked a leap from the Bebop structures of the time in...