The Last Miles

Miles Davis: The Bootleg Series 7, That’s What Happened, 1982-1985

Bootleg Series 7 comes in two formats, a three-CD boxed set, and two albums, each a double LP. One contains highlights from the studio recordings, and the other, the complete 1983 Montreal concert.
Bootleg Series 7 comes in two formats, a three-CD boxed set, and two albums, each a double LP. One contains highlights from the studio recordings, and the other, the complete 1983 Montreal concert.

Studio sessions: Miles Davis (trumpet, synthesiser, electric piano); Mike Stern, John Scofield, John McLaughlin (guitar); Bill Evans, Bob Berg (tenor sax, soprano sax); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Robert Irving III (keyboards); Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones (bass); Al Foster, Vince Wilburn Jr (drums); Mino Cinelu, Steve Thornton (percussion).

Live recording: Miles Davis (trumpet, synthesiser, electric piano); John Scofield (guitar); Bill Evans (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute); Darryl Jones (bass); Al Foster (drums), Mino Cinelu (percussion).

Recording dates: Studio recordings – Columbia Studios, NY, 20 October 1982; The Record Plant, NY, October 1982-January 1985; A&R Studio, NY, 30 June 1983. Live recordings – Théâtre St. Denis, Montreal, Canada, 7 July 1983.

For years, many fans of Miles’s 1980s music had been waiting for Sony Music (formerly Columbia Records) to open its music archives and release new Miles Davis material from this era. Their hopes were answered with the release of Miles Davis: The Bootleg Series 7, That’s What Happened, 1982-1985.

If you want to read my full review of this release, you’ll find it on the Jazz Views website.

I’ve also written a piece on the same site about the potential for further releases from Miles’s 80s period.

First the good news: Sony/Columbia has released three and a half hours of Miles’s 1980s music that was previously unavailable to the buying public. Sound quality is very good, and the packaging is excellent.

There are two versions:

  1. A CD release with three discs.
  2. Two LP releases, consisting of a double-album of studio tracks, and a second double-album of live material. The latter was a special limited edition release, but at the time of writing (February 2026) can still be purchased.

Whereas previous Bootleg Series releases consisted of multi-disc digipaks, That’s What Happened is a mini boxed set, with a cardboard slip case housing a 50-page, perfect bound booklet and three discs housed in cardboard jackets. One wonders if the original project was for a more comprehensive release, which was then paired back because of financial and/or creative decisions.

The CD booklet is superb, with three sets of liner notes from writers Marcus J Moore, Steve Berkowitz (one of the boxed set producers), and jazz writer Gregory Tate, who sadly died before the boxed set’s release. There are also interesting recollections from 1980s band members: drummer Vince Wilburn Jr; guitarists John Scofield and Mike Stern, and bassists Marcus Miller and Darryl Jones. It’s a shame there wasn’t also space for the memories of keyboardist Robert Irving III (Miles’s musical director from 1983 to 1988), and Al Foster, Miles’s band drummer from 1972 to 1975, and from 1981 to 1985. There’s also track-by-track information on personnel and recording dates, and lots of photos of Miles and band members.

That said: the liner notes are disappointing in that there’s very little information on the music. For example, trombonist J.J. Johnson – who first recorded with Miles on a Charlie Parker session in 1947 – appears on two numbers. Writer Jacob Garchik has written an excellent piece on the connection between Miles and J.J. Johnson.

But we are given no details in the liner notes on how J.J. Johnson came to play on the Star People sessions or how Miles and J.J. interacted in the studio. John Mclaughlin – a guitarist with a long history with Miles from the 1970s – also appears as a guest musician on another track, but this event does not garner a mention.

Then there is the absence of any music from the albums The Man With The Horn, We Want Miles and Aura, not to mention the vast amount of live material sitting in the vaults. The first two discs on the CD release contain studio material, with each offering around 60 minutes of music. So there was space for another 15-20 minutes of music on each disc. Even so,: there is a lot of new and interesting music to be found, and anyone with an interest in Miles’s late period will want to have this release in their collection. Let’s hope there is much more to come.

The packaging for the CD boxed set consists of three discs in coloured cardboard sleeves and a 50-page booklet, housed in a cardboard slip case.
The packaging for the CD boxed set consists of three discs in coloured cardboard sleeves and a 50-page booklet, housed in a cardboard slip case.
The back of each CD sleeve gives track and time information.
The back of each CD sleeve gives track and time information.
The CD labels have the old Columbia Records label.
The CD labels have the old Columbia Records label.

CD Version

Disc 1 (Star People/*Decoy sessions)

  1. Santana
  2. Minor Ninths, Part 1
  3. Minor Ninths, Part 2
  4. Celestial Blues, Part 1
  5. Celestial Blues, Part 2
  6. Celestial Blues, Part 3
  7. Remake of OBX Ballad
  8. Remake of OBX Ballad full studio session)
  9. *Freaky Deaky, Part 1
  10. *Freaky Deaky, Part 2

“Santana” is a driving jazz-rock-funk number lasting 13 minutes, and elements of it can be found in other Miles’s tunes from this era, notably, “Hopscotch,” “Star On Cicely,” “Star People,” and ”Come Get It.” “Minor Ninths” is a duet featuring Miles on electric piano and J.J. Johnson playing trombone. Johnson also appears on Part 3 of “Celestial Blues.” “Remake of OBX Ballad” has Miles playing synthesiser, with Bill Evans on soprano sax and Marcus Miller on bass, playing the theme.

The version of “Freaky Deaky” is different from that on the album Decoy, with Miles playing trumpet and synthesiser, and John Scofield’s guitar bathed in wah-wah. By the way, all the tracks on this disc were probably recorded as one continuous take. Each take has been divided into two or three parts for this release.

It’s a shame that there is so little material from the Decoy sessions, because noted Miles Davis biographer Jan Lohmann visited Columbia Records archives to examine the tape boxes and session documentation. He found various sessions recorded around this period. These include a track called “Lift” recorded on 29 August 1983, with a line-up that included Branford Marsalis. During the same session, various takes of the title track “Decoy” were recorded, possibly including an early version that had Darryl Jones playing the bass with his fingers rather than thumping it with his thumb.

In June 1983, Miles recorded a tune called “The Funk” with saxophonist George Adams. For more on these sessions, visit Peter Losin’s excellent Miles Davis website, Miles Ahead.

One suspects that none of this music was included was because the original master tapes are either lost or mislaid. The Adams sessions tapes are missing, and the only reason we have the alternate takes of “Freaky Deaky”; is because, after the original session, John Scofield asked the engineer to make him a copy of the recording. Years later, when Scofield mentioned the session to the boxed set producers, they informed him that they could not find the tapes for that date. That’s why Scofield’s personal cassette copy is mentioned in the boxed set’s credits.

The front of the boxed set slipcase.
The front of the boxed set slipcase.
The back of the boxed set slipcase has a few lines of liner notes, plus track and time information.
The back of the boxed set slipcase has a few lines of liner notes, plus track and time information.

Disc 2 (You’re Under Arrest sessions)

  1. Time After Time (alternate version)
  2. Time After Time (full studio session)
  3. Theme From Jack Johnson (Right Off) / Intro
  4. Never Loved Like This (studio session demo)
  5. Hopscotch (slow)
  6. Hopscotch (fast)
  7. What’s Love Got To Do With It
  8. Human Nature (alternate)
  9. Katia (full studio session)

Disc Two is devoted to the You’re Under Arrest sessions. The original plan was for Miles to record an album of pop tunes, with Gil Evans arranging, but Evans wasn’t available. We know from both Miles and engineer Ron Lorman, that the original concept was changed when the album was almost completed. Miles felt the album was too ballad-based and so scrapped it all and started again. Were any copies of the original album tracks kept?

Many pop tunes were transcribed, and while not all were recorded, some made it onto the album: Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” and D-Train’s “Something On Your Mind.” On this release, there is a six-minute alternate version of “Human Nature,” which is similar to the album version.

The two takes of “Time After Time” include an alternate version, with a different drum track from Al Foster, and a full session version, featuring Vince Wilburn Jr on drums, which lasts eight minutes. The latter is not much different from the album version, except for the length of playing time.

The slipcase spine.
The slipcase spine.
The three CDs and booklet fit snugly inside the slipcase.
The three CDs and booklet fit snugly inside the slipcase.

“Never Loved Like This” composed by Miles and Robert Irving III, is a lovely studio session demo of a ballad that should have been developed. “Theme From Jack Johnson (Right Off) / Intro” is an eight-minute instrumental version of the opening number of the You’re Under Arrest album, but without various overdubs, including the opening dialogue featuring Miles, Police band member Sting and others.

“Hopscotch” is a jazz-funk tune which Miles played in many concerts. There are two versions (slow and fast) presented but neither can match the energy of the song when played live. The only unreleased pop ballad is the Tina Turner hit “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” which Miles also played live for a short while. The closing number is a jam session, “Katia,” featuring the fiery guitar playing of John McLaughlin. The album version lasted around seven minutes, but this version lasts for more than ten minutes. There’s more of Miles’s horn playing (both open and muted trumpet), more guitar soloing, and some overdubs are missing. It’s a raw, energetic and exciting end to the studio cuts.

The cover of the CD booklet.
The cover of the CD booklet.
The back of the CD booklet.
The back of the CD booklet.

Disc 3 (Live in Montreal 7 July 1983)

  1. Speak (That’s What Happened)
  2. Star People
  3. What It Is
  4. It Gets Better
  5. Hopscotch
  6. Star On Cicely
  7. Jean-Pierre
  8. Code 3
  9. Creepin’ In

Edited versions of “Speak (That’s What Happened)” and “What It Is” are on the Decoy album.

This disc contains the full concert that the band played at the International Jazz Festival in Montreal in July 1983. The venue was the Théâtre St. Denis.

A week before, the band had been a septet, with a two-guitar line-up featuring Mike Stern and John Scofield. Stern left, leaving Scofield with more space, more scope and more soloing opportunities. The band was right on form on the night.

The opening number “Speak (That’s What Happened)” is a ferocious jazz-funk workout, with Foster and Jones laying down a heavy backbeat and Evans playing some furious licks during his tenor sax solo. The complete track runs for eleven and a half minutes, and Miles placed an edited version on the Decoy album (the edit point is at 9.18), leaving the final four minutes or so to become a new number called “That’s What happened.” “What It Is” was edited and given new intro on Decoy, but here is the full fat six-minute version. Jones plays with such power and ferocity and his playing has a harder edge than previous bass players in Miles’s bands.

The CD booklet has lots of photos of Miles and band members from the 1980s. If you look carefully, you’ll also see a photo of Miles’s producer Teo Macero sitting in his office at Columbia Records.
The CD booklet has lots of photos of Miles and band members from the 1980s. If you look carefully, you’ll also see a photo of Miles’s producer Teo Macero sitting in his office at Columbia Records.
Personnel information, along with studio location and recording date, is given for each track.
Personnel information, along with studio location and recording date, is given for each track.
Steve Berkowitz, one of the boxed set producers, provides some liner notes.
Steve Berkowitz, one of the boxed set producers, provides some liner notes.
There are recollections of playing with Miles from a handful of past members, including Miles’s drummer and nephew Vince Wilburn Jr.
There are recollections of playing with Miles from a handful of past members, including Miles’s drummer and nephew Vince Wilburn Jr.

Miles’s playing is much stronger than on previous albums, going from moving slow blues lines to explosive phrases that soar to the sky. Scofield also shines throughout the concert, most noticeably on the two blues numbers “Star People” and “It Gets Better.” His blues-drenched solos on “Star People” and “It Gets Better” are especially impressive. Evan plays a long, expressive solo on “It Gets Better.”

Miles completists will find the addition of the two final tracks “Code 3” and “Creepin’ In” (both lasting around nine minutes long) of interest, because as far as is known, this is the only time they were ever played in concert. Both tunes are abstract, with hints of other song themes (such as ‘Hopscotch’) dotted here and there. All in all, this is a fine concert, but it’s a shame that a full concert featuring the Scofield/Stern line-up has so far, not been released.

Front covers of the two LP album releases.
Front covers of the two LP album releases.
The LPs have different coloured vinyl.
The LPs have different coloured vinyl.
Sticker from the studio recordings LP.
Sticker from the studio recordings LP.

Miles Davis: The Bootleg Series 7, That’s What Happened, 1982-1985 – LP Version

LP 1

Side A

  1. Santana
  2. Minor Ninths Part 2
  3. Celestial Blues Part 2

Side B

  1. Remake of OBX Ballad
  2. Time After Time (Alternate)
  3. What’s Love Got To Do With It
  4. Human Nature (Alternate)
Sticker from the Montreal concert LP.
Sticker from the Montreal concert LP.
The front cover of the studio recordings LP. It is a single sleeve.
The front cover of the studio recordings LP. It is a single sleeve.
The back cover of the studio recordings LP includes track and time information.
The back cover of the studio recordings LP includes track and time information.

LP 2

Side A

  1. Freaky Deaky (Vinyl Edit)
  2. Never Loved Like This
  3. Hopscotch (Fast)

Side B

  1. Theme From Jack Johnson/Right Off//Intro
  2. Katia (Full Session)
The LP dust jackets include the notes of Marcus J. Moore, photos and track and personnel information.
The LP dust jackets include the notes of Marcus J. Moore, photos and track and personnel information.
The LP dust jackets include the notes of Marcus J. Moore, photos and track and personnel information.
The LP dust jackets include the notes of Marcus J. Moore, photos and track and personnel information.
The studio recordings album has two LPs with white vinyl.
The studio recordings album has two LPs with white vinyl.
The studio album has the old Columbia Records label.
The studio album has the old Columbia Records label.

The album comes in two discs, both in white vinyl. A single LP sleeve houses both discs. Even with four sides of vinyl, it’s not possible to fit all of the two-hour’s worth of studio tracks onto two LPs. Hence, we have the highlights. Missing from the CD release are: “Minor Ninths” Part 1, “Celestial Blues” Parts 1 & 3, “Remake of OBX Ballad” full studio session, “Time After Time” full studio version, and “Hopscotch” (slow). “Freaky Deaky” Part 1 is also trimmed by a couple of minutes. Overall, it’s a good editing job, although most of the content of the CD booklet is absent, save Marcus J. Moore’s liner notes.

The Montreal concert album comes in a gatefold sleeve. These are the front and back covers,
The Montreal concert album comes in a gatefold sleeve. These are the front and back covers,
The inside of the gatefold sleeve has various photographs of Miles in concert.
The inside of the gatefold sleeve has various photographs of Miles in concert.
A close-up of some of the photographs.
A close-up of some of the photographs.

Miles Davis Live, What It Is, Montreal 7/7/83 – LP Version

LP 1

Side A

  1. Speak (That’s What Happened)
  2. Star People

Side B

  1. What It Is
  2. It Gets Better
The LP jackets include liner notes from Gregory Tate, personnel and production information, plus photographs of Miles.
The LP jackets include liner notes from Gregory Tate, personnel and production information, plus photographs of Miles.
The LP jackets include liner notes from Gregory Tate, personnel and production information, plus photographs of Miles.
The LP jackets include liner notes from Gregory Tate, personnel and production information, plus photographs of Miles.

LP 2

Side A

  1. Hopscotch
  2. Star On Cicely
  3. Jean-Pierre

Side B

  1. Code 3
  2. Creepin’ In
The concert LPs are pressed on black vinyl.
The concert LPs are pressed on black vinyl.
A close-up of the album label. The old Columbia Records label, used by the CD boxed discs, and the studio recordings LPs, is replaced with a modern design.
A close-up of the album label. The old Columbia Records label, used by the CD boxed discs, and the studio recordings LPs, is replaced with a modern design.

This album comes in two discs, housed in a gatefold sleeve, the inside featuring photos not found in the CD booklet. The complete concert is spread over four LP sides and presented in the same order as on the CD. The only text content from the CD booklet consists of Gregory Tate’s liner notes, and there are some concert photos not featured in the CD booklet. The albums are pressed on black vinyl, and both have a modern label design.

The Bootleg Series 7, That’s What Happened is available on CD, vinyl, and download from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Man With The Horn
The Man With The Horn
 We Want Miles
We Want Miles
 Star People
Star People
 Decoy
Decoy
You're Under Arrest
You're Under Arrest
 Aura
Aura
 Rubber Band
Rubberband
 Tutu
Tutu
Siesta
Siesta
 Amandla
Amandla
 Dingo
Dingo
 The Hot Spot
The Hot Spot
Doo-Bop
Doo-Bop
 Live Around The World
Live Around The World
 Montreux 1973 - 1981
Montreux 1973 - 1991
 Miles Alive
miles alive
Miles Davis Trilogy
Miles Davis Trilogy
 Time After Time
Time After Time
 Miles Davis Perfect Way
Perfect Way
 Miles Davis Hollywood Bowl 1981
Hollywood Bowl 1981
Miles Davis Original Classics
Original Classics
 Miles Davis Complete Columbia Collection
Complete Columbia Collection
 Tutu Deluxe Edition
Tutu Deluxe Edition
 Montreal Concert
Montreal Concert
miles-davis-1986-1991-the-warner-years-3d-promo-100
1986 - 1991 Warner Years
 the-perfect-miles-davis-collection-100
Perfect Miles Collection
 otc-1-100
On The Crest Of The Airwaves
 miles-davis-the-last-word-box-set-cover-100
The Last World
tutu-d1-100
Tutu Deluxe LP
 The Rubberband Album
Rubberband
 Music Inspired by Birth of the Cool
Music from Birth of the Cool
 Miles Davis Original Album Series
Original Album Series
Miles Davis Merci Miles CD
Merci Miles! Live at Vienne
See also

praise for The Last Miles

“The best Miles Davis book ever.” Randy Hall, singer/guitarist/producer, who worked with Miles in the 1980s

“An important book.” Brian Priestley, co-author of ‘The Rough Guide to Jazz’, jazz pianist, critic and reviewer

“Very moving, emotional material.” Gordon Meltzer, Miles’s last road manager and executive producer of the ‘Doo-Bop’ album

“George Cole’s writing, his choice of references, his descriptions of many incidents – it is all so clear and respectful, and shows a deep understanding.” Palle Mikkelborg, composer, arranger and producer of the ‘Aura’ album

“Wow! What a great book. Finally, something that really gets it right. Thank you for capturing what was going on, the mood, everything.” Adam Holzman, Miles’s keyboardist and musical director 1985-1989

“Wonderful job, congratulations! An immense amount of work must have gone into it, I can't even imagine. But it was very cool to see that era of Miles treated with the same respect as every other… someone gets it!” Benny Rietveld, Miles's bassist 1988-1990

“The book is wonderful. Congratulations for your very important contribution to the historical documentation of many [musicians] who would otherwise have been overlooked!!!!” Robert Irving III Miles’s musical director 1983-1988

“I have to say that you did a marvellous job! It brought back strong memories of that time periodand answered a number of questions I had, especially the chapter on the Rubberband sessions. A brilliant job!” Patrick Murray, who worked on the road with Miles from 1986-1990 and was Miles’s concert sound mixer from 1988-1990

“It is truly an excellent body of work that literally takes a reader from hearing rumours to realising truths about the Chicago group and our collective take on the Miles Davis comeback.” Glenn Burris, co-writer of "Shout"

“The most immediate impact that this book had on me was to make me listen again to Miles’ later recordings with a completely regenerated ear and this really is the reason why this book works so well and is an essential read for any true Miles Davis appreciator… you will be hard pressed to find a more inspirational read, written by a man who quite simply loves Miles Davis’ music.” Mike Chadwick, Ejazz.fm

“There are large chunks of fresh material here… Fill[s] in quite a few gaps and dismisses blanket condemnations of [Miles’s] pop phase.” Stephen Graham, Jazzwise

“Cole does for Miles’ late work what Ian Macdonald’s ‘Revolution In The Head’ does for The Beatles, examining each album in meticulous detail.” John Lewis, Time Out

“Cole’s analysis has a meticulous, forensic character… [and] is able to bring a wealth of new information to light…. This book should get people talking. It should be the first rather than the last word on an intriguing chapter of the life an extraordinarily complex artist. And Davis’s vanity would surely have loved that.” Kevin Le Gendre, Independent on Sunday

“The book is beautiful. I think you did a great job on covering Miles’s life and legacy.” Sid Reynolds, hip-hop producer

“GREATFUCKINJOBWITDABOOK” Foley, Miles’s lead bassist 1987-1991

“Cole’s certainly produced a fascinating book.” Chris Ingham, Mojo

“As with any good musical biography, Cole had made me think again about those albums such as Siesta, You’re Under Arrest, The Man with the Horn, that are now stashed in my attic.” John Bungey, The Times

“I thought it was wonderful. It’s a very detailed look at a certain part of the career and life of Miles Davis. A lot of people didn’t pay attention to this and I’m glad that George Cole took the time to focus on these final years of Miles’s life.” Easy Mo Bee, co-producer of Doo-Bop

“Many people have come to me in the past about how the "last miles” bands had been overlooked and ignored by journalists. This book is a comprehensive answer to these omissions. From my discussions with musicians from the latter years with Miles it seems pretty clear they feel some vindication as a result of this book. I thank you sincerely for telling our story. Most everything I have read is as close to my memory of how things happened as any book could hope to be. I think you've done a wonderful job.” Darryl Jones, bassist with Miles 1983-85, 1986-1988

“The title is likely to send most jazzbos running, with received wisdom having handed down the rule that in the 80's Miles was only good for playing live; and half of that was just the pleasure of seeing him in person. For a single man to take on the 400-page+ task of changing popular opinion is a very tall order indeed. For him to make you want to actively revisit the decade in question is a near-miracle. Detailing album histories and giving final verdicts, Cole has made every effort to lay the evidence out bare. The analysis could have been a chore were it not for the presence of first-hand interviews with all the major players, making this not just a scholarly study, but a tribute to the man himself, And for a book such as this, you learn more about Davis that could have been expected.” Jason Draper, Record Collector

“There simply hasn’t been another book published on Miles Davis, in any period that has managed to obtain the wealth of interview material and cover his recorded work and various live tours in such a complete and comprehensive fashion… Engagingly written from start to finish, filled with more facts than you’ll be able to remember first time through, The Last Miles is an essential portrait of Miles’ last decade and a strong argument that his music was both valid and perfectly in keeping with a musical philosophy that would ultimately stretch over six decades.” John Kelman, All About Jazz.com

“We veterans of Miles’ last bands are lucky to have such a thorough and insightful look into Miles last period… I really enjoyed the book!” John Scofield, Miles's guitarist 1982-1985

“Cole has spoken to practically everyone who worked with Miles in his final decade. He has traced the evolution of each of those final albums, cut by cut, splice by splice….[Miles] comes out of Cole’s account larger, warmer and if anything even more important than ever.” Brian Morton (co-writer of The Penguin Guide to Jazz), The Wire

“Through lively analyses of all Miles’ recorded work from this period and much that went unreleased, including the ‘lost’ album Rubberband, [Cole] does enough to send readers back to the original albums.” Simon Evans, Choice

“… Cole is a persuasive writer: he prompted me to go and dig out albums that I'd dismissed as inconsequential and listen again with fresh ears. … A rewarding read.” Charles Waring, Blues & Soul

“Cole takes us on an exhaustive journey deep into the heart of Miles’ late recordings… The Last Miles needs to be covered by working musicians, producers and Miles’ fans alike.” Livingstone Marquis, Straight, No Chaser

“ George Cole has written a book that should be required reading for anyone with a serious interest in Davis’ life and work irrespective of which period of his music you prefer. It offers a valuable insight into this most complex of personalities, and reveals a side to Miles that many may not have known existed…for this reader it has prompted a re-examination of this decade which has revealed a fascinating area of music that I had previously overlooked.” Nick Lea, Jazzviews.co.uk

“In the flurry of books since [Miles Davis's] death, none has dealt in depth with the music of this period. Music writer George Cole fills this gap… It is so detailed and intimate that the reader feels he is virtually living with Davis as he seeks to reinvent himself… a rich and rewarding read.” Irwin Block, The Montreal Gazette

“This is a must for every Miles fan.” Neal Gardner, Blogcritics.org

“A fantastic book, an amazing insight into Miles.” Guy Barker, jazz trumpeter

The Last Miles US edition
Buy from Amazon.com
The Last Miles UK edition
Buy from Amazon UK

“For Miles fans, this book is a must.” Jez Nelson, presenter BBC Radio Jazz on 3

“I really do recommend The Last Miles… it is a fine work.” John Cavanagh, presenter Radio Scotland’s Bebop to Hip-Hop

“A great book that plays a great tribute to the last years of Miles’ life.” Erik Telford, presenter Miles Radio.com

“The fact of having personally interviewed all those characters… without much recall to interviews already noted and the usual anecdotes, renders “The Last Miles” as excellent… a book that certainly is seen as a work of reference.” Maurizio Comandini, All About Jazz.com Italy

“[Cole] has written a comprehensive account of the comeback and the albums it produced… He takes the reader through each of the albums, cut by cut, examining the musical choices, the musicians and their successes… Cole's book is a valuable resource on the last 11 years of a true music legend's life.” Chris Smith, Winnipeg Free Press

“I've been thoroughly enjoying your book. I'm sure it'll go a long way towards rectifying some of the negative historical appraisals of Miles' later works that have become prevalent.” Kei Akagi, keyboardist in Miles's band 1989-1990.

“Cole gives an exhaustive account of every track recorded [and, it seems, every live show] in that decade and of every one of the dozens of musicians who played on them but what's most interesting is the portrait of Miles Davis that emerges from it all. Sometimes an asshole and a bully, yes, but also a very funny guy who was a good friend to many and a mentor to even more, a man with drug problems who was more often in great pain from other maladies. Through it all, Davis was obsessed with moving his music forward with anyone who could help him do it - from Prince to Public Enemy, from Scritti Politti to a violinist he saw on Johnny Carson and hired on the spot.” Rock & Rap Confidential

“I thought your book was awesome and straight to the point. To tell stories the way it really happened is nothing but the truth! Congratulations and thanks!” Ricky Wellman, Miles's drummer 1987-1991

“George Cole has made a major contribution to jazz scholarship… written over a three-year period, the degree of detail is quite astonishing and the research so extensive that it becomes possible to contradict claims made by Miles himself in his autobiography. Every track on every 1981-1991 album is discussed in length… a very valuable book.” Chris Yates, The Jazz Rag

“This book is a model of how these types of books should be… If late period Miles is in the readers’ interest, the reader should rush out and purchase this volume. It is invaluable.” Robert Iannapollo, ARSC Journal

The Last Miles was voted one of the top ten music books of 2005 by Record Collector magazine.

The Last Miles was joint winner of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections’ Best Jazz History Book 2006 award.