Meeting this fantastic musician was a most memorable experience. He was one the greatest musicians of our time, and I can still hear his beautiful rendition of Porgy and Bess. This performance and its arrangements are beyond beauty and description.This might be a bit of a long story, so away we go! It all started in my living room many years ago when I was hosting a party for my dear friend Henry Brant, the Pulitzer Prize winning composer . As one of Henry Brant’s guests, he invited his student Teo Macero who also was a composer, head of the popular music division of CBS records at that time.

During our conversation, Teo mentioned that he was doing an editing session of a new Miles Davis CD, and asked if I would like to attend and meet Miles Davis as his guest. As you can imagine the only answer was an obvious “YES”! We therefore proceeded to discuss all of the arrangements relating to that wonderful day.

Editing Day at CBS Records

I was already in New York for some musical performances, which made it quite convenient to schedule this meeting time with CBS and Miles Davis. As arranged, I met Teo at the entrance of CBS Records on the morning of the editing day. We proceeded to the studio where all of the preparations were being made for the editing of this new album.

Everyone was anxiously waiting for Miles Davis to enter the studio, and after a little while he walked into the room.

This was a moment I will never forget.

When Miles Davis walked into the studio his appearance and stature was so magnetically powerful that everyone became quiet. He was perfectly dressed wearing a beautifully close-knit striped suit, and had the most striking and magnificent perfectly-rounded, large Afro hairstyle.

As you can imagine I was speechless, and in awe of this great man’s presence. It was so hard to believe that I was finally meeting Miles Davis in person, a man I admired as a great artist and musician for so many years.

My heart was pounding and my mouth became very dry. I was so relieved to grab a sip of water in order to speak with this great man. We were finally introduced, and it seemed as though we hit it off right away.

During our time together our conversation was so interesting, with discussions of the music by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Edgar Varese, and many other contemporary composers. Also his comparison of various music styles and trends helped me to understand how truly knowledgeable he was as a visionary musical master.

It was so impressive and magical to discover the genius and depth of feeling of this beloved artist, Miles Davis.

What was most important to me was the exchanging of ideas, learning about so many of his thoughts on artistic expressions of music, style and performance. That made every moment of our time together a very memorable and unforgettable experience.

This was a moment in time that I will never forget and will always cherish with gratitude and appreciation. I can still hear his magnificent musical sharing of Porgy and Bess, as well as many more beautiful performances! This will always be my favorite memory of Miles Davis!

With Blessings and Peace,
Daniel

**photos courtesy of Miles Davis - Wikipedia**