MILES DAVIS / RUBBERBAND THE TUNE COPENHAGEN 1985 DEFINITIVE EDITION (2CD)

Miles Davis - trumpet, synthesizer
Bob Berg - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Mike Stern - electric guitar
Robert Irving III - synthesizer
Adam Holzman - synthesizer
Angus Thomas - electric bass
Vincent Wilburn - drums
Steve Thornton - percussion
Marilyn Mazur - percussion

DISC 1
1. ONE PHONE CALL - STREET SCENES
2. SPEAK - THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED
3. STAR PEOPLE
4. MAZE
5. HUMAN NATURE
6. SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND
7. TIME AFTER TIME
8. MISS MORRISINE

DISC 2
1. CODE M.D.
2. PACIFIC EXPRESS
3.BURN
4. STRONGER THAN BEFORE
5. HOPSCOTCH
6. RUBBERBAND
7. JEAN-PIERRE - THEN THERE WERE NONE
8. DECOY

"So What!", a legendary label that has earned the absolute trust of Miles Davis enthusiasts and produced numerous masterpieces, is the inspiration behind "VoodooDown Records," which was launched at the end of 2020 under its complete supervision. The fact that they were granted permission to use the "SO WHAT!" label name for the first time speaks volumes about the level of trust placed in them. With meticulous remastering, carefully crafted obi-wrapped artwork, and beautifully pressed picture discs, this new release from a new label is already attracting attention as a must-have item for Miles Davis collectors.

This release features the 1985 Copenhagen concert. While VDD primarily focused on 70s recordings, the success of "Brussels Concert '82" led them to decide to release recordings from outside the 70s as well. After 1982, the next year that caught my attention was 1985. I focused on this Copenhagen concert as something worthy of being considered the definitive version of 1985. The band's lineup had changed just before the 1985 start, with Mike Stern returning to guitar from John Scofield, Adam Holtzman being added on keyboards, and Marilyn Mazur being added on percussion, expanding the ensemble and adding depth. The setlist is centered around the album "You're Under Arrest," and is full of Miles's achievements as he deeply explored pop music at the time. There are many highlights, such as the soulful trumpet rendition of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" and the brilliantly arranged Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." And what deserves special mention is the unreleased track "Rubberband." This song is rarely played live, and a complete recording of it is extremely rare. Moreover, it's a soundboard recording with pristine sound quality. This Copenhagen concert has, of course, been released by several labels before, but this release from VDD is a definitive version that sets itself apart from the others. It completely eliminates the shortcomings of previous releases, such as poor sound quality despite being a soundboard recording, or not being a complete recording. It is a newly mastered recording from a newly digitized source from 2021. With elements of funk, ballads, and Miles' trademark soulful muted trumpet, this is the definitive 1985 Miles Davis recording, packed with highlights.