Miles Davis’ Previously Unreleased Album ‘Rubberband’ Coming Soon

A previously unheard Miles Davis album has a release date. Rubberband will see the light of day on September 6 via Rhino/Warner and features an original Davis painting as artwork.

Originally recorded in the mid-’80s when Davis was making the transition between Columbia and Warner Bros., the album was set aside in favor of Davis’ 1986 LP Tutu. Last fall, the song “Rubberband Of Life” surfaced on Record Store Day Black Friday as an EP with a number of versions of the song.

Randy Hall and Zane Giles, the album’s original producers, put the finishing touches on the record with the help of Davis’ nephew, Vince Wilburn Jr., who also played drums on the original. Vocals from Ledisi and Lalah Hathaway round out Rubberband in place of original guest appearances from Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan that were never recorded.

The record was a bit of a departure for Davis. Here’s what producer Randy Hall said about the album via Davis’ website:

It was fat grooves, really funky, Miles talking. It was street and funky and dirty. We didn’t go after writing a great jazz song, Miles wanted the street thing; he wanted the chord changes he wanted to play. The basis was to take it to the street like On The Corner, it was Miles taking more chances.

Stream the previously released “Rubberband Of Life” EP below:

Rubberband Tracklist

1. Rubberband Of Life (Feat. Ledisi)
2. This Is It
3. Paradise
4. So Emotional (Feat. Lalah Hathaway)
5. Give It Up
6. Maze
7. Carnival Time
8. I Love What We Made Together
9. See I See
10. Echoes In Time / The Wrinkle
11. Rubberband

[Hat Tip – Stereogum]