The Music Show

A portrait of the legendary trumpeter Miles Davis on his centenary. We hear how Miles not only changed music but also the lives of those he played with. We've pulled interviews from The Music Show's archives with former bandmates including pianists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Gary Bartz, guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Dave Holland as well as big fans of his music like Paul Grabowsky. We move from the Birth of the Cool to Kind of Blue, Nefertiti, Bitches Brew and, finally, to Aura.
As a bonus, we'll also hear what it was like working with Miles Davis the actor. In the last ten years of his life he aspired to appear on screen— he only starred in one full-length film before his death in 1991, and that was Rolf de Heer's Dingo.
More Information
Archive interviews featured
Chick Corea (2007)Dave Holland (2007)Wayne Shorter (2016)John McLaughlin (2009)Gunther Schuller (1998)Paul Grabowsky (2019)Herbie Hancock (2007)Rolf de Heer (2020)Gary Bartz (2016)
Music played in this program
Title: JoshuaArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Victor FeldmanAlbum: Seven Steps To HeavenLabel: CBS BP233072
Title: Venus De MiloArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Gerry MulliganAlbum: Birth Of The CoolLabel: Capitol Records T-762
Title: DeceptionArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Miles DavisAlbum: Birth Of The CoolLabel: Capitol Records T-762
Title: So WhatArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Miles DavisAlbum: Kind Of BlueLabel: Coronet KLP893
Title: Blue In GreenArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Miles DavisAlbum: Kind Of BlueLabel: Coronet KLP893
Title: NefertitiArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Wayne ShorterAlbum: NefertitiLabel: CBS SBP 2335 15
Title: E.S.P.Artist: Miles DavisComposer: Miles Davis, Wayne ShorterAlbum: E.S.P.Label: CBS SBP 233267
Title: Pharaoh's DanceArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Joe ZawinulAlbum: Bitches BrewLabel: CBS S2BP-220056
Title: Concert on the RunwayArtist: Miles Davis and Michel LegrandComposer: Miles Davis and Michel LegrandAlbum: Dingo: Selections From The Motion Picture SoundtrackLabel: Warner Bros. Records ‎- 9 26438-2
Title: WhiteArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Palle MikkelborgAlbum: Aura Label: CBS 463351 1
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Harvey O'Sullivan, Emrys Cronin, Que Nguyen, Nathan Turnbull and Simon Branthwaite
Library archivist Sabrina Lipovic

We pay tribute to Sonny Rollins, who died this week at the age of 95. Rollins played with many of the greats of jazz, but was himself something of loner. Driven by ideas of perfection, Rollins played into his 80s, but spent years away the music industry, including a famous three-year sabbatical where he played for no one other than himself on the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC. Andy spoke to Rollins in 2008, and we revisit that conversation here. 
For some, performing a show taking on the work of Bette Midler could be a little intimidating; Janis Joplin even more so. Mahalia Barnes is doing both at once, performing songs from The Rose as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. She shares what those greats mean to her and what she looks for when she covers a song. 
Live in the Music Show studio, Cass McCombs performs songs from his latest album Interior Live Oak, and talks about his place in the folk tradition and his time writing folk songs for children
Mahalia Barnes performs The Rose is on at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival on the 14th of June
Cass McCombs is performing at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid on the 31st of May
Music heard in this program:
Title: The RoseArtist: Bette MidlerComposer: Amanda McBroomAlbum: The Rose (The Original Soundtrack Recording)Label: Atlantic
Title: The BridgeArtist: Sonny RollinsComposer: Sonny RollinsAlbum: The BridgeLabel: RCA
Title: Whose Side Are You OnArtist: Bette MidlerComposer: Charley Williams & Kenny HopkinsAlbum: The Rose (The Original Soundtrack Recording)Label: Atlantic
Title: Stay With MeArtist: Lorraine EllisonComposer: George David Weiss & Jerry RagovoyAlbum: Stay With MeLabel: Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records 
Title: I'm On FireArtist: Mahalia Barnes and the Soul MatesComposer: Bruce SpringsteenAlbum: I'm On Fire singleLabel: Independent release
Title: PriestessArtist: Cass McCombsComposer: Cass McCombsAlbum: Interior Live OakLabel: Domino
Title: Missionary BellArtist: Cass McCombsComposer: Cass McCombsAlbum: Interior Live OakLabel: Domino
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Harvey O'Sullivan, Angela Grant, and Brendan O'Neill

Hilary Geddes is a guitarist of understated virtuosity, and a composer of music that takes jazz into a rolling, lush, environmental register. Her latest album Redleaf, with the Hilary Geddes Quartet, is a record of the sounds she's heard, the music she's created, and the relationship between the players over the past four years.
Kae Tempest returns to The Music Show ahead of his appearance at Vivid Sydney. His latest album Self Titled is his most personal, threading the needle between fury and optimism with the wordy humanity he's known for. He talks to Ce about how the Self in Self Titled has evolved. 
Tour dates for Hilary Geddes here
Kae Tempest’s national tour which includes dates in Perth, Melbourne (Rising) Brisbane (Open Season) and Sydney (Vivid) starts June 4
Music heard in this program:
Title: HyperdistillationArtist: Kae TempestComposer: Kae TempestAlbum: Self TitledLabel: Island Records
Title: First (solo version)Artist: Hilary Geddes Composer: Hilary GeddesAlbum: Live performance
Title: First Artist: Hilary Geddes QuartetComposer: Hilary GeddesAlbum: RedleafLabel: Earshift Music
Title: Three Five TenArtist: Hilary Geddes QuartetComposer: Hilary GeddesAlbum: RedleafLabel: Earshift Music
Title: Prayers To WhisperArtist: Kae TempestComposer: Kae TempestAlbum: Self TitledLabel: Island Records
Title: BreatheArtist: Kae TempestComposer: Kae TempestAlbum: Self TitledLabel: Island Records
Title: Sunshine On CatfordArtist: Kae TempestComposer: Kae TempestAlbum: Self TitledLabel: Island Records
Title: I Stand On The LineArtist: Kae TempestComposer: Kae TempestAlbum: Self TitledLabel: Island Records
Title: Blue In GreenArtist: Miles DavisComposer: Miles DavisAlbum: Kind of BlueLabel: Island Records
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Isabella Tropiano and Timothy Jenkins

Barry Conyngham’s piece Ice Carving isn’t performed very often, and almost never in its intended configuration - a solo violinist surrounded by an audience, who are then surrounded by 4 string orchestras. It’s finally getting its proper form at The Ian Potter Centre in Melbourne and Barry takes us back to the inspiration, at The Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
It's been 30 years since Mogwai released their debut single, Tuner/Lower, and the band have gone from one of the young teams of rock to one of post-rock's longest running groups. Stuart Braithwaite, the band's guitarist and occasional singer, looks back on the band's three decades.
Tortoise, another central figure in post-rock, are also celebrating 30 years since one of their biggest albums, Millions Now Living Will Never Die. John McEntire explains how the band decides which drummer will play on a given track, why they're drawn to unusual time-signatures, and why it took 10 years for them to complete their latest record.  
Ice Carving has three shows on May 29. Details here
Tour dates for Mogwai, beginning on May 23 at Vivid in Sydney, are available here
Tour dates for Tortoise, beginning May 27 in Sydney, are available here
Music heard in this program:
Title: Mogwai Fear SatanArtist: MogwaiComposer: MogwaiAlbum: Young TeamLabel: Spunk
Title: Ice CarvingArtist: Sydney Symphony Orchestra & Wilfred LehmannComposer: Barry ConynghamAlbum: Live performanceLabel: ABC Music
Title: What Kind of Mix Is ThisArtist: MogwaiComposer: MogwaiAlbum: The Bad FireLabel: Rock Action Records
Title: Yes! I Am A Long Way From HomeArtist: MogwaiComposer: MogwaiAlbum: Young TeamLabel: Spunk
Title: OganessonArtist: TortoiseComposer: TortoiseAlbum: TouchLabel: International Anthem Recording Company
Title: Glass MuseumArtist: TortoiseComposer: TortoiseAlbum: Millions Now Living Will Never DieLabel: Thrill Jockey
Title: After RainArtist: Hilary Geddes QuartetComposer: Hilary GeddesAlbum: RedleafLabel: Earshift Music
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Isabella Tropiano

Judy Small is a fixture of the Australian folk scene, a writer and performer of songs about politics and people. She joins Andy to recap the thirty-ish years since she was last on the show, including a career in family law and as a federal judge, and the process she's been undertaking of recording some of her last songs (Swansongs) and appearing at the 60th National Folk Festival.
And Ce Benedict reports from the festival itself, where transcontinental dulcimer jams, children busking, and bardic reinterpretations of Smashmouth all contribute to one of Australia's most distinctive festival experiences. 
Music heard in the show: 
Title: Home HomeArtist: ApollineComposer: Hickey, LuisaAlbum: Home HomeLabel: Independent Release
Title: Stand Or Fall, Within These Walls (Yad Vashem)Artist: Judy SmallComposer: Small, JudyAlbum: SwansongsLabel: Independent Release
Title: The White Bay Paper SellerArtist: Judy SmallComposer: Small, JudyAlbum: Mothers, Daughters, Wives / Ladies and GemsLabel: Independent Release
Title: You Don't Speak For MeArtist: Judy SmallComposer: Small, JudyAlbum: Judy Small - Best of the 80sLabel: Independent Release
Title: EncantoArtist: Maryam RahmaniComposer: Rahmani, MaryamAlbum: KamandLabel: Independent Release
Label: Independent ReleaseTitle: Home HomeArtist: ApollineComposer: Hickey, LuisaAlbum: Home Home
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Emrys Cronin and Timothy Jenkins