Lost Miles Davis Rubberband album snaps back on Warner Bros

Featuring 11 tracks, the music has been completed by its original producers and Davis’ nephew Vince Wilburn Jr, with new vocal contributions from Lalah Hathaway and Ledisi.

Davis had just made the shock move of leaving Columbia Records, his label of 30 years, shifting to Warners, where he would subsequently take a bold new approach embracing electronic sounds and the latest production techniques. The Rubberband sessions began in October 1985, with Davis working alongside producers Randy Hall and Zane Giles at LA’s Ameraycan Studios.

They were something of a departure from the gritty jazz-funk of his final Columbia albums, with a newly formed studio group of keyboardists Adam Holzman, Neil Larsen and Wayne Linsey, percussionist Steve Reid, saxophonist Glen Burris, and Vince Wilburn, Jr. on drums. Collectively they explored funk and soul grooves, while there were also plans to feature powerhouse vocalists Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan on the sessions. However, the album was shelved, Davis subsequently recording Tutu, with the Rubberband tracks lost in the vaults for the best part of 30 years.

Davis’ fans finally got a taste of the long-lost album last year with the release of a four-track Rubberband EP for Record Store Day. Now Rhino/Warner Records will release the entire 11-track Rubberband album on CD, LP and digitally.

– Mike Flynn

For more info visit www.milesdavis.com and listen to ‘Rubberband Of Life’ featuring Ledisi here via Spotify