Long story short: back in 1985 when Miles Davis was just starting his “comeback”, he was putting together a funk album including his nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr on drums and produced by Randy Hall and Zane Giles. It was to feature the singing of Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan, but for various reasons, it was abandoned, shelved and instead Davis teamed with Marcus Miller to produce the classic Tutu.
Wilburn got the original tapes, goosed them up for a more modern sound and brought in vocalists like Lalah Hathaway and Ledisi to put out a new/old album. It’s quite different from anything you’ve heard from Miles, but then, isn’t his subsequent album ALWAYS that way?
There’s lots of punchy R&B, and Davis’signature horn is given in small segments. Still, there is a hipness to the muted horn on the thick rocker of “ Rubberband” while “Give It Up” has him teamed with a cool DJ. His horn floats over the electronic funk groove of “Echoes In Time/The Wrinkle” and when he opens up his horn on “I Love What We Make Together” with Randy Hall, he feels like he’s jabbing a punching bag. Lalah Hathaway on “So Emotional” is a pretty pop peace and Wilburn sizzles on the Caribbean “This Is It” while giving a thunderous drum earthquake with Davis in a rowdy mood for “Paradise.” Miles is an urban outfitter.