Miles & Jimi together?

[ghost of miles]

Surely this is a misunderstanding... my wife just called to say that she'd happened across an article in the magazine BLACK CLOCK describing a forthcoming 3-CD set of Hendrix & Davis in the studio together. I'm guessing it's actually a tribute "what-if" CD of contemporary mixes... it's called DAMBALLAH RISING sessions or something akin.

Edited April 2, 2005 by ghost of miles

[bertrand]

They definitely never met in a studio - in fact, I think they never met period. Betty Mabry hosted a party for Hendrix, and Miles stayed away.

It must be a remix thing.

Bertrand.

Edited April 2, 2005 by bertrand

[ghost of miles]

Mystery solved. There are no such sessions, and it's not a re-mix. From an online account of BLACK CLOCK's second issue:

The unstated theme of the second issue is, as Erickson describes it, "lost music of the imagination." The issue opens with a reprint of Greil Marcus' 1969 review from Rolling Stone of an imaginary supergroup called the Masked Marauders. Marcus also contributes a new essay, Unmasked Marauders, which puts a twist on the original review and claims a new place for a critique of pop criticism. Perfidia, by novelist Lewis Shiner (Glimpses), is about the secret life that Glenn Miller lived in Paris after he staged his plane crash, and Michael Ventura's Damballah Rising is about the album that Jimi Hendrix recorded with Miles Davis before the Devil interceded and took the album (and Jimi) with him.

Bah! Cruel teases... -_- B-)

[BFrank]

... although you can be sure that they WOULD have recorded together, if ... B-)

[JSngry]

Ah yes, The Masked Marauders, remember them and their "hit" "I Can't Get No Nookie" (Nookie being the name of the singer's Eskimo girlfriend) well.

One of the great Pop Frauds of the day. Bought their album as a cutout for $1.99, played it once, found it to be sucky, and promptly sold it for $50.

Ah, collectors!

[BFrank]

Re-released a couple of years ago as The Masked Marauders "The Complete Deity Recordings" on Rhino/HandMade

[l p]

one of the stories goes that the session date was set. hendrix was waiting in the studio (probably with alan douglas) for miles. miles either called to say he wasn't coming because of money issues, or he just didn't show up. this would be 1969 or 70.

[Tony Pusey]

The magazine Wire had a Douglas interview some years back where he talks of this aborted session, seem to remember him talking about a telephone stand off where Hendrix and Davis seperatly kept trying to raise the ante, (was Larry Young also involved?) hazy memory, but perhaps somebody has the relevant issue and can give an accurate quote...

[John L]

They definitely never met in a studio - in fact, I think they never met period. Betty Mabry hosted a party for Hendrix, and Miles stayed away.

It must be a remix thing.

Bertrand.

Miles claims in his Autobiography that they met and played together. He describes how surprised he was when Jimi confessed not to be able to read music.

[l p]

The magazine Wire had a Douglas interview some years back where he talks of this aborted session, seem to remember him talking about a telephone stand off where Hendrix and Davis seperatly kept trying to raise the ante, (was Larry Young also involved?) hazy memory, but perhaps somebody has the relevant issue and can give an accurate quote...

Miles claims in his Autobiography that they met and played together. He describes how surprised he was when Jimi confessed not to be able to read music.

>>>>>>>>>

i think both of these stories are untrue. hendrix wouldn't haggle about money. and imo, miles would haggle about it just to get out of the session.

[Tony Pusey]

LP, that sounds plausible, since my memory IS hazy, it could have been Miles AND Larry Young who where attempting to up the ante...?

[jazzbo]

I could certainly imagine this happening as I had seen it chronicled: i.e. at the last moment Miles phoned Douglas demanding 50 large upfront and Douglas turning that down. He didn't ever have to consult with Jimi about the money, I think his managers were quite used to not consulting him about the money, keeping him in the dark that way, and of course Jimi's own attitude probably aided that.

Maybe Miles had a talk with his wife and didn't want to show?

Edited April 13, 2005 by jazzbo

[l p]

as long as we are mentioning douglas, i've seen claims by him that he produced coltrane, but have not found anything to confirm this. is it possible that he confused coltrane with dolphy? he's another guy who's stories can't be trusted.

as far as miles backing out, if that is what happened, it's possible that he was intimidated by hendrix' playing. that could be a first for miles.

[jazzbo]

I actually doubt he would be intimidated by Hendrix's playing. . . . I think he may have been intimidated by Hendrix's charismatic nature and the effect it may have had on his wife!

[jazzbo]

But yes, Douglas needs to be taken with grains of salt I think.

[sidewinder]

....... and the effect it may have had on his wife!

Probably not far from the truth !

[Tony Pusey]

[ghost of miles]

I actually doubt he would be intimidated by Hendrix's playing. . . . I think he may have been intimidated by Hendrix's charismatic nature and the effect it may have had on his wife!

"Backseat Betty!"

[mjzee]

as long as we are mentioning douglas, i've seen claims by him that he produced coltrane, but have not found anything to confirm this. is it possible that he confused coltrane with dolphy? he's another guy who's stories can't be trusted.

Did Douglas produce "Coltrane Time," which was a Cecil Taylor-led date but was reissued under Coltrane's name?

[l p]

Did Douglas produce "Coltrane Time," which was a Cecil Taylor-led date but was reissued under Coltrane's name?

tom wilson according to allmusic