Via Rolling Stone:

It’s long been known that Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis were making plans to record together the year before Hendrix’s death in 1970, but it turns out the pioneering guitarist and jazz trumpeter were hoping that Paul McCartney would join them on bass. Hendrix, Davis and jazz drummer Tony Williams sent a telegram on Oct. 21, 1969, to the Beatles’ Apple Records, hoping to get McCartney in for a session.

“We are recording and LP together this weekend in NewYork [sic],” reads the note, according to The Associated Press. “How about coming in to play bass stop call Alvan Douglas 212-5812212. Peace Jimi Hendrix Miles Davis Tony Williams.”

Read more here

A Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix And Paul McCartney Supergroup Does Sound Pretty Awesome is a post from: Miles Davis Online

In his time of being under the influence of some heavy drugs, he states, “I feel like I never gave Miles Davis proper shrift.”

Of course, watching it is much funnier than my quick summary.

And Adam Scott’s delivery of the line is great.

Miles Davis Gets (Yet Another!) Mention On Parks And Recreation is a post from: Miles Davis Online

Lucky for us Gabe mentioned the Miles Davis Movie that has been in development for what seems like 20 years.

It has been reported here at Miles Davis Online for months, as well as on other websites, that Fuqua is attached to direct. It had always been a rumor, but following a Wall Street Journal video interview with Vince Wilburn Jr. back in November when he acknowledged Fuqua’s involvement, everyone has assumed it’s a done deal. And even though Cheadle was originally planning to be lead actor and director for the film, the news of Fuqua’s involvement can still be considered a positive one moving forward.

However, there has yet to be an official announcement. Fuqua says below in the quote that there are no written deals, so maybe he isn’t officially signed on the dotted line to direct, and this why they are waiting to announce.

They are also a long (long) way from production, so does it really matter at this point?

In his comments to The Playlist, Fuqua underscores what Cheadle has discussed many times over the past few years: it’s all about the money.

It seems that no one is motivated to drop money down on a film about Miles Davis. Or, at least the money people remain hesitant about such a deal.

Here’s the quotes from Fuqua to Gabe:

“Don’s a good friend and we talk about it all the time,” Fuqua says.

“It’s funny when these things get announced, because I’m attached to it, I wanna do it with Don, but there’s no written deals. We’re trying to figure out where the money’s coming from. It’s been surprisingly tough to get the money together to do the Miles Davis story. I love Miles Davis, I love Don, how could you not want to make that if you’re serious about making movies?”

Back in 2010 (!) we posted a story about Cheadle bemoaning the lack of funds for his Miles Davis Movie.

Three years later and it’s still about the money. Plenty of movies, from independent films to movies with a star cast attached, can struggle locating the financing to get the movie made, so the Miles Davis Biopic isn’t alone it’s search for economic support.

But it looks as if until the right financing falls into place this project is going to remain on the shelf. At this rate, they are going to name that particular shelf in honor of the Miles Davis Biopic considering how long it has bounced around, and up and down in development.

Is there a chance potential producers are shying away because Cheadle has positioned the project as the anti-biopic, referring to it as cubist in style, and…yes… a “gangster pic”?

Cheadle: “It’s a gangster pic. It’s a movie that Miles Davis would have wanted to star in. Without throwing history away, we’re trying to shuffle it and make it more cubist.”

Maybe that comment could possibly make someone – with the money – a little antsy about the viability of the film – in a marketing sense. And that means will they be able to reap some of their money back via ticket sales, VOD, DVDs, internet, etc.

The talent is all there, no doubt about it, but even though the traditional cradle-to-grave movie biopic blueprint can get boring – for both the movie-makers and the audience -, it’s still not the worst manner in which to tell a story of a legendary musician.

Cheadle did mention the possibility of a deal last year in a WSJ interview, but either that deal is no more, or just moving really slowly.

So right now we have Don Cheadle, Antoine Fuqua, and all the music rights locked in, and the biopic still can’t get a deal made. It must be something. Maybe movie people just don’t like Miles Davis – or more specifically, they don’t think Miles Davis as the subject of a feature film can make any money at the box office.

I say we go for the 3-night/6-hour TV documentary!

* The above image is part of a series of unofficial teaser posters designed by the very talented Michael Stadtlender.

The Miles Davis Movie: Antoine Fuqua: “We’re Trying To Figure Out Where The Money’s Coming From” is a post from: Miles Davis Online

A tribute to arranger Gil Evans, who had died three years earlier, the performance featured Davis, Kenny Garrett (saxophone) and Wallace Rooney (trumpet, flugelhorn). Quincy Jones conducted the Gil Evans Orchestra and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band with the addition of Benny Bailey (trumpet, flugelhorn), Carles Benavent (bass) and Grady Tate (drums).

Extras include interviews with Claude Nobs, Monty Alexander, Helen Merrill, Betty carter, Charlie Haden, Gil Goldstein, Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc Ponty, Al Di Meola & Michel Petrucciani.

TRACK LISTING

1) Introduction
2) Boplicity
3) Maids Of Cadiz
4) The Duke
5) My Ship
6) Miles Ahead
7) Blues For Pablo
8) Orgone
9) Gone, Gone, Gone
10) Summertime
11) Here Come De Honey Man
12) The Pan Piper
13) Solea

Link: JazzTimes

Miles Davis with Quincy Jones Live at Montreux 1991 Set For Release On DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital is a post from: Miles Davis Online

Moderated by author Ashley Kahn, the panel is scheduled for Thursday, March 14 between 12:30PM and 1:30PM.

SXSW Panel To Discuss 1969 Miles Davis Quintet is a post from: Miles Davis Online

* Haven’t dropped one of these on the site in awhile. But yeah, nothing is happening. Of course, no one has still yet to make an official comment about Antoine Fuqua joining the project as director, which is just odd.

There was for a time ’2013′ listed next to the project on IMDB.com. But no more. In fact, there is NO YEAR listed with the project, so anyone delusional enough to think that cameras would roll this year should go ahead and think about 2014, or even 2015.

The Miles Davis Biopic is the very definition of development hell.

Today In Miles Davis Movie News… is a post from: Miles Davis Online

We are grateful for interviewer Christina Radish bringing up the state of the Miles Davis Biopic, but Cheadle didn’t seem to be too interested in providing any updates – good or bad.

Any further development on the Miles Davis biopic?

CHEADLE: I’m going to not say anything for superstitions sake, but yeah. I’ll leave it there.

So… there is some ‘further development’ these days, but Cheadle isn’t about to elaborate. Antoine Fuqua is already set to direct, news which has never been officially released by the Miles Davis estate or Cheadle, so nothing to hide there. So what could be happening with the film project?

It must be some type of studio deal, or other financial backing that is coming together. Beyond that, you’re looking at casting news, which could only move the needle if Cheadle somehow wrangled George Clooney and Brad Pitt to join the cast.

Something is brewing, and Cheadle is keeping a lid on things. Stay tuned for further developments.

Update:

From a recent Q&A with USA Today, here is Cheadle on the latest developments of the Miles Davis Movie:

You hope to make a Miles Davis movie?

That’s why I’m playing the trumpet. [Financing] is the eternal struggle. … I think we’ve just potentially found an irrational investor.

Give us a name. We need a name!

The Miles Davis Movie: Don Cheadle Isn’t Talking, But Something Is Happening is a post from: Miles Davis Online

Personally, I think if he ever gets this Miles Davis Film project off the ground he is going to nab lots of nominations and awards for portraying jazz legend Miles Davis.

Don Cheadle Wins Golden Globe; Maybe Another Globe Down The Road For Playing Miles Davis? is a post from: Miles Davis Online