Keyboardists Profiles

Keyboardists Profiles

In May 1973, Lonnie Liston Smith left Miles’s band and became the last specialist keyboardist in a Miles Davis group for more than a decade (Miles of course was away from the music scene for half of this period). Until August 1983, Miles played all of the keyboards on-stage himself, starting with a Yamaha organ and in the early 1980s, using an Oberheim OBX-a synthesizer. In the 1980s, keyboardists were mainly hired for their ability to create orchestral soundscapes and sonic moods, rather than for their virtuosity (although all of Miles’s keyboardists were highly talented players). Many bands featured two or more keyboardists, with Miles often making up the third player.

Robert Irving III

Background before joining Miles: Played in bands around Chicago, including two featuring Miles’s nephew Vince Wilburn Jr. Also played with Ramsey Lewis.

How he got the Miles gig: Had known Miles from The Man With The Horn sessions, where he played on two tunes, “Shout,” and “The Man With The Horn.” Was asked by Miles to work with him on the Decoy album and subsequently asked to join the band as musical director.

Played from: August 1983 – October 1988

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Decoy, You’re Under Arrest, Live Around The World, The Complete Miles Davis At Montreux, Live in Montreal (DVD), Live in Munich (DVD), Miles And His Group (DVD)

Tracks worth checking out: “Decoy,” “Code MD,” “That’s Right,” “Then There Were None,” “Splatch” (live), Ms Morrisine (live)

Irving on Miles: “The education I learnt from Miles was immense. I learnt to follow my intuition and to utilize spontaneity when initiating ideas for new compositions. He inspired me to go beyond the mundane as an arranger.”

Comments: It is hard to over-state the central role Irving played in Miles’s music of the final decade. Irving played with Miles for more than five years – longer than anyone else during this period. In addition to being musical director, he composed a number of tunes Miles played and recorded, including “Decoy,” “Code MD,” and “Ms Morrisine,” he arranged and co-produced the Decoy album, arranged and produced the You’re Under Arrest album and also composed the Street Smart soundtrack, which Miles played on. Irving left the band to pursue other projects including a solo album, “Midnight Dream.” He also formed two Miles tribute bands, ESP and ESP 2, which recorded an album and released a DVD. After playing with Miles, Irving began playing more acoustic piano, an instrument he loves.

Website: www.robertleeirving.com

Adam Holzman

Background before joining Miles: Played in bands around LA including a funk band, the Fents.

How he got the Miles gig: In 1985, Holzman worked in a music store in LA and was spotted by producer Randy Hall, who was so impressed with his keyboard skills and synthesizer prowess that he asked Holzman to participate in some sessions he was doing with Miles. Miles in turn was impressed enough to ask Holzman to join his band as second keyboardist.

Played from: October 1985 – October 1989

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Tutu, Live Around The World, The Complete Miles Davis At Montreux, Live in Munich (DVD), Miles Davis And His Group (DVD).

Tracks worth checking out: “Splatch,” (studio and live versions), “Amandla” (live), “Portia” (live”), “Don’t Stop Me Now,” (live), “Time After Time” (live).

Holzman on Miles: “I learnt how to run a band and to be more patient. For example, if a new piece of music didn’t sound that great initially, Miles wouldn’t panic. He would keep performing it and eventually it would develop into something hip. Miles had a great sense of humour [and] he also had this great presence. When he walked into a room, everybody knew it.”

Comments: Holzman was another important member of Miles’s bands during the final decade. He began by playing on the (so far) unreleased Rubberband album sessions, played and helped with the synthesizer programming on the early Tutu sessions and stayed in Miles’s band for four years. In late 1988, Holzman became Miles’s musical director. He left Miles’s bands to pursue other projects. Since Miles’s death, Holzman has been involved in a number of Miles-related projects. He played with the tribute band ESP 2 and also worked on a number of album projects, most notably, Doo-Bop, Live Around The World, The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux, Live in Munich DVD, The Cellar Door boxed set and the unreleased Warner Bros boxed set, The Last Word.

Website: www.adamholzman.com

Joey DeFrancesco

Background before joining Miles: Was a keyboard protégé, especially on the Hammond B3 organ. He also plays trumpet.

How he got the Miles gig: In 1987, when aged just 16, DeFrancesco was asked to play organ in a house band at a school talent show. Miles was guest judge and was supposed to be looking at young trumpet players was more interested in DeFrancesco’s playing! A year later, he asked the young musician to join his band.

Played from: October 1988 – March 1989

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Amandla, Live Around The World

Tracks worth checking out: “Cobra,” “In A Silent Way,” “Intruder.”

DeFrancesco on Miles: “Miles looked after me like a Dad…I found him to be warm, caring and giving.”

Comments: DeFrancesco became one of the select group of teenagers to join Miles’s bands (others included drummer Tony Williams and bassist Michael Henderson). Such was his talent that the young keyboardist released a solo album soon after joining Miles’s band. Miles encouraged him to pursue a solo career.

Website: www.joeydefrancesco.com

Kei Akagi

Background before joining Miles: Played with a number of artists including, Art Pepper, Blue Mitchell, Eddie Harris, Flora Purim/Airto Moreira and Al DeMiola

How he got the Miles gig: Al DeMiola’s road manager knew Miles’s road manager Gordon Meltzer and Akagi was asked by him to send an audition tape to Miles.

Played from: March 1989 – November 1990

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Dingo, Live Around The World, The Complete Miles Davis At Montreux, Miles in Paris (DVD)

Tracks worth checking out: “Mr Pastorius” (live), “Tutu,” (live), “Hannibal,” (live), “Amandla,” (live)

Akagi on Miles: “Ultimately what I learnt from Miles is that music is much wider than that which is being performed at the moment. Everything one plays hints at a multitude of possibilities and one must be aware of them at all times.”

Comments: Akagi played with several other keyboardists before taking the solo spot. He played at a time when Miles’s bands were playing tight arrangements. Akagi left because he felt that he was hearing things that could not be played with Miles’s music. He later released an excellent Miles tribute album, New Smiles And Traveled Miles.

Website: None

John Beasley

Background before joining Miles: Played with Hubert Laws, Freddie Hubbard, John Pattitucci and local bands in LA

How he got the Miles gig: Was spotted by Miles’s nephew Vince Wilburn Jr and asked to send Miles an audition tape. A year later, Miles called and invited him to join the band

Played from: March 1989 – May 1989

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Live Around The World

Tracks worth checking out: “Mr Pastorius” (live) (The only official release).

Beasley on Miles: “I learnt how to comp...and stay out of the way and not feed the soloist but let him decide the direction and react off of that.”

Comments: At the time, Beasley’s wife had just given birth to their first child, so he didn’t stay in the band for as long as he would have liked. Since leaving Miles, Beasley has released a string of strong solo albums and worked with artists such as Steely Dan, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau and Lee Ritenour.

Website: www.beasleymusic.com

Deron Johnson

Background before joining Miles: Played in bands around LA.

How he got the Miles gig: Was spotted playing by Miles’s nephew Vince Wilburn Jr and recommended to Miles. Miles heard an audition tape and invited him to join the band.

Played from: March 1991 – August 1991

Official albums and DVDs featured on: Doo-Bop, Live Around The World, The Complete Miles Davis At Montreux

Tracks worth checking out: “Mystery,” “Chocolate Chip,” “Blow,” “Duke Booty,” “Hannibal” (live), “Time After Time” (live).

on Miles:

Comments: Johnson was a member of Miles’s last band and in fact was the last member of Miles’s working band to work with him in the studio (on the Doo-Bop album). Johnson’s keyboard rig was very basic and the band was stripped down to a sextet giving him lots more space for improvisation.

Website: None.

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Photo credits

Kei Akgai (album photo)

Deron Johnson (screen grab)