Emma-Jean Thackray Releases Miles Davis Homage

Emma-Jean Thackray released Dear Miles: A Love Letter on May 22, a project taking inspiration from Miles Davis's electric era that pushes further into electronic territory with beat-driven re-imaginings blurring jazz improvisation and dance music culture.

Thackray debuted the work at a sold-out show at Ronnie Scott's, where she explained her teenage discovery of Davis—searching for Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez on Limewire, she accidentally downloaded the Miles/Gil Evans Sketches of Spain version, sparking a new passion. The project opens with de Falla's 'Will O'The Wisp' and includes hard-bopping takes on 'Seven Steps to Heaven', 'Maisha', and 'Boplicity'.

She performs the project at EartH Theatre as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 13.