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by BBC Radio 4
Some artists change music forever. Legend tells the incredible life stories of musical pioneers. How did they become legends? And what does their music tell us about our times? We go deep into the artist's world and get to know the life beyond the legend. Latest series: Miles Davis
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- Jun 26, 202629 min
The Miles Davis Story: 5. Lost and Found
Clarke Peters concludes the series exploring Miles Davis's final decade. After nearly five years of reclusive silence, Miles emerges from his New York brownstone, determined to channel a new generation of musicians to spark his final reinvention of jazz. Miles is back! News of the comeback ignites the media, and packed audiences, from rock royalty to his old jazz associates, flock to his early gigs, left reeling as Miles boldly pushes the genre squarely into the electronic age. Through albums like The Man with the Horn and the Grammy-winning Tutu, Miles and his visionary key collaborator, Marcus Miller, stubbornly defy the critics to forge a triumphant new legacy. Along the way, he crosses paths with Prince, while his late-career sonic experiments deeply inspire a burgeoning generation of hip-hop artists. But It wasn't just the music that was rejuvenated. With the fierce support of his wife, actress Cicely Tyson, Miles battles back from the severe physical pain and exhausting excesses of the 1970s to clean up his lifestyle. Yet, as his fragile body is pushed to its absolute limits, a lingering question remains - how much longer can his flame burn? Before the final curtain falls, a man who spent a lifetime refusing to retrace his steps prepares one last, profound twist - a closing gesture that forces him to look back and finally embrace the very past he spent decades running from.Narrator and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, The Boroughs, Treme) explores the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist.Blending archival recordings with fresh perspectives, the series reveals how Miles’ "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness influenced everyone from rock stars to Oscar-winning filmmakers. Yet, Clarke also grapples with the darker truths of Miles’ legacy, including the substance issues and domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him. It is a searching investigation into an artist capable of the most sublime beauty and the most brutal behaviour - a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Commissioning Editors at the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew Dodd Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music by Guy Barker, James Pearson and Joseph Tzabar Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4Tracks featured: Zimbabwe - Miles Davis Gondwana - Miles Davis Shout - Miles Davis The Man with the Horn - MIles Davis Ursula - Miles Davis Fast Track - Miles Davis My Man's Gone Now - George and Ira Gerswhin, feat. Miles Davis Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper feat. Miles Davis Tutu - Marcus Miller feat. Miles Davis Portia - Marcus Miller feat. Miles Davis Full Nelson - Marcus Miller feat. Miles Davis I believe - Courtney Pine Can I Kick it? - A Tribe Called Quest/Lou Reed Airbag - Radiohead Boplicity - Miles Davis It Never Entered my Mind - Rogers and Hart feat. Miles Davis My Funny Valentine - Rogers and Hart feat. Miles DavisJohn McLaughlin, Bill Evans and Marcus Miller from BBC Jazz File with Ian Carr, 2001. Miles Davis from Talking Jazz with Ben Sidran, 1986 Q Tip from Red Bull Academy, 2013 Jonny Greenwood from The Adam Buxton podcast, 2016
- Jun 19, 202628 min
The Miles Davis Story: 4. Burning Down the House
Clarke Peters explores a period of radical disruption as Miles Davis, the King of Cool, sets his legacy on fire. By the late 1960s, the jazz world had become too safe, and Miles felt the heat of his "blue flame" inviting him toward the unknown once again. Inspired by the raw energy of Jimi Hendrix and the psychedelic funk of Sly Stone, Miles plugged in his horn, traded his Italian suits for leather trousers, and entered his most controversial era - the "Prince of Darkness". Clarke investigates the high-stakes gamble behind the 1970 masterpiece Bitches Brew, an album that jazz purists initially dismissed as a "cacophonic mess" that would kill his career . Yet, while the establishment recoiled, Miles was busy inventing the future - laying the DNA for everything from rock to hip-hop. This was a time of extreme creative hunger and personal chaos, marked by a mysterious shooting in Brooklyn and a reckless life in the fast lane that eventually took a heavy physical toll. From the studio to the massive stage at the Isle of Wight, Clarke reveals how Miles’ refusal to stand still, changed the sound of the 20th century yet again.Narrator and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme) explores the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist.Blending archival recordings with fresh perspectives, the series reveals how Miles’ "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness influenced everyone from rock stars to Oscar-winning filmmakers. Yet, Clarke also grapples with the darker truths of Miles’ legacy, including the substance issues and domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him. It is a searching investigation into an artist capable of the most sublime beauty and the most brutal behaviour - a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Tracks Featured:Trevere - Miles Davis Milestones - MIles Davis Iris - Wayne Shorter Stella By Starlight - Victor Young In a Silent Way - Joe Zawinul Bitches Brew - Miles Davis Pharoah's Dance - Bennie Maupin John McLaughlin - Miles Davis Sanctuary - Wayne Shorter Miles Runs the Voodoo Down - MIles Davis It's about that Time - Joe Zawinul Right Off - MIles Davis Yesternow - MIles Davis Directions - MIles DavisPresenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music by Guy Barker, James Pearson and Joseph Tzabar Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew Dodd
- Jun 12, 202628 min
The Miles Davis Story: 3. Miles in Blue
Clarke Peters explores what many consider the apex of Miles Davis’s career: 1959, the year of Kind of Blue. It was a time of tailored suits, fast cars, and a radical new sound that redefined the 20th-century idea of cool. Clarke takes us inside the legendary Columbia studio to witness the birth of the best-selling jazz album of all time - a recording session where Miles’ scrawled notes transformed the genre forever. But beneath the surface of this "sublime" era, Miles’ life didn't always run as smooth as his music. Clarke explores the uncomfortable collision of professional triumph and personal volatility, as his relationship with his soon to be wife, dancer Frances Taylor, was tested by the same uncompromising drive that fuelled his art. The episode reaches a pivotal climax just days after the album’s release. Despite his global stardom, a brutal encounter with the police outside a New York club served as a savage reminder that, for a Black man in 1959 America, the "cool" was never a shield from social reality. Narrator and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme) explores the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist. Blending archival recordings with fresh perspectives, the series reveals how Miles’ "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness influenced everyone from rock stars to Oscar-winning filmmakers. Yet, Clarke also grapples with the darker truths of Miles’ legacy, including the substance issues and domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him. It's a searching investigation into an artist capable of the most sublime beauty and the most brutal behavior - a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional music recorded at Ronnie Scott's by James Pearson and Guy Barker Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew Dodd A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4Tracks as Featured: 'There is no Greater Love' - Miles Davis Quintet 'Just Squeeze Me' - Miles Davis Quintet 'How am I to Know' - Miles Davis Quintet 'Ah Lei Che' - MIles Davis Quintet 'Freddie Freeloader' - MIles Davis Quintet 'So what' - Miles Davis 'All Blues' - Miles Davis Flamenco Sketches' - Miles Davis and Bill Evans 'Blue in Green' - Miles Davis and Bill Evans 'Bitches Brew' - Miles Davis 'Pharoes Dance' - Miles DavisFrances Taylor from BBC Jazz File: Miles Davis at 80, 2001 Jimmy Cobb from interview with Mike Lanchin, 2014
- Jun 5, 202628 min
The Miles Davis Story: 2. Back off the Ropes
Clarke Peters explores a period when Miles Davis, the "King of Cool," was nearly knocked out for good. By the early 1950s, Miles had hit rock bottom - scraped off a Manhattan gutter by a friend and forced to pawn his trumpet to fund a heroin habit that had swallowed his career and his reputation. Clarke follows Miles on a desperate, 20-hour bus ride back to his father’s farm, where he would face his greatest demon in a brutal, solitary fight for his life. We discover how Miles used the grit and physical discipline of his boxing idols, Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson, to survive a "cold turkey" recovery and find a radical new way to play. Using a Harmon mute to create a dark, aching, and intensely intimate sound that would become his signature, Miles began a high-stakes hustle to reclaim his throne. From the shame of a prison cell to a last-chance appearance at a major jazz festival, this is the story of a legendary artist fighting his way back from the brink to see if the world was still listening.Narrator and longtime fan Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme) explores the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist. Blending archival recordings with fresh perspectives, the series reveals how Miles’s "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness influenced everyone from rock stars to Oscar-winning filmmakers. Yet, Clarke also grapples with the darker truths of Miles’s legacy, including the substance issues and domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him. It is a searching investigation into an artist capable of the most sublime beauty and the most brutal behavior - a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music: Guy Barker and James Pearson Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew DoddFeatured tracks (in order of appearance)"Right Off" - Miles Davis "Yesternow" - Miles Davis "Blue n Boogie" - Miles Davis "Walkin" - Miles Davis "Love me or Leave me" Rudy van Gelder (featuring Miles Davis) "it Never Entered my Mind" - MIles Davis "Oleo" - MIles Davis "Round Midnight" - Thelonius Monk (featuring Miles Davis) "So What" - Miles DavisJack Johnson, directed by Jim Jacobs, The Big Fights Inc. 1970 Clark Terry from BBC Jazz File, Miles Davis at 80, 2001
- May 29, 202628 min
The Miles Davis Story: 1. Don't Call Me Legend
Clarke Peters explores the life and legacy of a visionary artist whose relentless pursuit of the "new" often scorched his own life and the lives of those around him. In September 1944, an 18-year-old Miles Davis arrives in New York with a trumpet in his hand and a secret mission. He may have first arrived in New York to take up a place at the prestigious Juilliard School, but in reality Miles was actually patrolling the smoke-filled jazz clubs of 52nd Street, chasing the high-speed sounds of his bebop heroes, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Across the series, Clarke charts Miles’s ever-evolving artform, starting with this first great transformation of a legend - when the young Miles chose to step into the unknown, seize control of his own creative destiny, and begin his journey as a leader.Narrator, acclaimed actor and longtime fan, Clarke Peters (The Wire, Treme, Da 5 Bloods) reveals the restless genius and radical evolution of Miles Davis. Growing up in a New York household where his father’s jazz records were the permanent soundtrack, Clarke was captivated by Miles long before he fully appreciated the man behind the music. Across five episodes, Clarke traces a 50 year odyssey of constant reinvention - from a teenage outsider chasing the bebop revolution in 1944 to a global icon who redefined what it meant to be Black, to be cool, and to be an artist.Blending archival recordings and legendary tracks with fresh perspectives from a range of creators, the series reveals how Miles’ influence ripples far beyond the world of jazz. We discover how his "take no shit" attitude and aesthetic fearlessness impacted on the likes of Oscar-winning filmmakers, celebrated designers and music icons like Prince, Joni Mitchell, Sting and even bands like Radiohead, as well as generations of now also legendary jazz musicians that he championed early in their careers - John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Keith Jarrett and Marcus Miller, to name a few. The series also grapples with the darker side of Miles’ legacy, including the domestic abuse that left a trail of pain for those closest to him and the substance issues that took a deep toll on his health. It asks difficult questions about how to regard an artist capable of creating the most sublime aesthetic statements while engaging in brutal behaviour. Clarke Peters, whose own creative journey as an actor was sparked by Miles’s music, leads a searching investigation into a man who refused to be palatable, refused to be a "legend", and simply refused to stop moving forward.Miles Davis Interview: From Jazz Talking by Ben Sidran, 1986. The Arsenio Hall Show, Paramount, originally broadcast in 1989. 60 Minutes, CBS News. Originally broadcast in 1989Featured tracks (in order of appearance) “So What” – Miles Davis “Blue in Green” – Miles Davis (feat. John Coltrane & Bill Evans) “Bitches Brew” – Miles Davis "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" - MIles Davis “Agitation” – Miles Davis “Flamenco Sketches” – Miles Davis & Bill Evans “Ko Ko” – Charlie Parker “Salt Peanuts” – Dizzy Gillespie "Jivin with Jack the Bellboy" - Miles Davis "Move" - Miles Davis "Moon Dreams" - Miles Davis "Boplicity" - Miles Davis Presenter: Clarke Peters Series Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Production Manager: Emily Duffy Music Consultant: Guy Barker Additional Music: Guy Barker Archivist: Simon Rooks Script Consultant: Anne Harbin Technical Production and Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby Commissioning Editors for the BBC: Dan Clarke and Matthew Dodd A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
- May 15, 20262 min
The Miles Davis Story: Trailer
Trumpeter Miles Davis didn’t just change jazz; he redefined the sound of the 20th century. But that constant reinvention came at a price. Clarke Peters explores a visionary artist, to reveal the man behind the legend: a complicated genius whose relentless pursuit of the "new" often scorched his own life and the lives of those around him.
- Nov 14, 202528 min
The Bruce Springsteen Story: 5. The Land of Hope and Dreams
How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.In our final chapter, we trace Bruce’s journey to his latest tour - The Land of Hope and Dreams - where he speaks out on stage against the President of the United States. How did Bruce become the kind of artist who wears his politics so openly? And what impact has this had on his fan base?Laura travels to Milan in the heat of July for the last stop on the tour at San Siro Stadium, where she meets fans who’ve journeyed from around the world to witness this moment.~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne and music critics and biographers such as Richard Williams, Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden, Warren Zanes and Diane H. Winston.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Mix engineer: Ilse Lademann Series Development: Mair Bosworth Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd Assistant Commissioner Podcasts: Will Drysdale
- Nov 7, 202528 min
The Bruce Springsteen Story: 4. The Promise
How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.Bruce is living in Hollywood, L.A, making music without his long-time bandmates. It's a time of Bruce being far away from his roots - and from some of his most loyal fans. But a homecoming concert in his school gym in Freehold, New Jersey marks a turning point.~~~“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne, former Asbury Park Press music critic Kelly Jane Cotter, and biographers such as Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden and Warren Zanes.The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).Producer: Eliza Lomas Series Development: Mair Bosworth Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws Research: Sarah Goodman Series Editor: Emma Harding Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd
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About Legend
Some artists change music forever. Legend tells the incredible life stories of musical pioneers. How did they become legends? And what does their music tell us about our times? We go deep into the artist's world and get to know the life beyond the legend. Latest series: Miles Davis
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