Columbia/Legacy will commemorate the 90th birthday of Miles Davis with the release of two very special new Miles Davis projects:

– First, "Miles Ahead, " the original motion picture soundtrack for Don Cheadle’s feature film directorial debut of the same name, which will be released Friday, April 1. The album combines 11 highlights from the legendary trumpeter/composer/bandleader’s Prestige and Columbia Records catalogs with original new compositions written and performed by Grammy Award-winning jazz/hip-hop artist Robert Glasper. Select new tracks on the soundtrack album include guest appearances by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, rapper Pharoahe Monch and more. Both the CD and LP packages for feature revelatory new liner notes penned by Don Cheadle.

"We culled the library for every style Miles touched…looking for cues to bridge key moments, bring others into focus. The stuff a good score is supposed to do. Miles made it easier. His music is multi-faceted and score friendly," wrote Cheadle in his notes.

The album features 11 essential tracks spanning 1956 to 1981, select dialogue from the film featuring Cheadle in character, and five original compositions written, co-written, produced or performed exclusively for "Miles Ahead" by Robert Glasper. These include "What’s Wrong with That?" (a track that closes the movie imagining Cheadle as Miles playing in the present day with guest performers Glasper, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Gary Clark, Jr. and Esperanza Spalding and Antonio Sanchez) and "Gone 2015," an end-credits song featuring guest verses from rapper Pharoahe Monch.

– The second new Davis project is "Everything’s Beautiful,", reimagined interpretations of Miles Davis’ music produced by Grammy Award winner Robert Glasper (who also served as coproducer of the Cheadle’s "Miles Ahead" soundtrack) with musical guest artists including Bilal, Illa J, Erykah Badu, Phonte, Hiatus Kaiyote, Laura Mvula, KING, Georgia Ann Muldrow, John Scofield, Ledisi, and Stevie Wonder. A fresh exploration of the music of Miles Davis, the album incorporates Davis’ original recordings into new collaborative soundscapes and will be available Friday, May 27 (the day after Miles’ 90th birthday).

Both releases are available for pre-order at the official Miles Davis store on milesdavis.com.

For new and future fans, "Miles Ahead – Original Motion Soundtrack" provides an ideal introduction to the music of Miles Davis. For seasoned aficionados, the album and film provide fresh perspectives and new insights into Miles’ transformative musical and cultural genius.

The 2016 SXSW Festival in Austin, TX will premiere Cheadle’s "Miles Ahead" on Wednesday, March 16th at 8pm at The Paramount Theatre.

A special panel led by Don Cheadle, with NPR’s Felix Contreras onboard as Moderator, will discuss the making of the film, along with the music, with intimate behind-the-scenes anecdotes provided by Erin Davis (son of Miles) and Vince Wilburn, Jr.(nephew of Miles). Additional panelists include Robert Glasper; Oscar-winning supervising sound editor, re-recording mixer and sound designer Skip Lievsay; and Keyon Harrold, a sought out trumpeter/producer/arranger/songwriter who performs with D’Angelo and The Vanguard, and is featured as the trumpet sound of Don Cheadle playing Miles Davis. The panel will take place on Thursday, March 17 at 12:30pm.

"I didn’t want to do just a remix record," Glasper noted when discussing the 11-song set. "My idea was to show how Miles inspired people to make new art. I am living in the spirit of Miles when I am doing what I’m doing because I am documenting my time period. I’m documenting what’s around me. I’m documenting who I am now, where music is now. That’s what this project is about. I wanted to do something where we can take some of Miles’ ideas, shake them up, and try to show the influence of Miles and make new things. And that’s the beauty of this whole album. The whole project is based on Miles, but it is based on Miles’ vision, it’s based on Miles’ trumpet, it’s based on Miles’ voice, it’s based on Miles’ composition, it’s based on Miles’ influence, it’s based on Miles’ swag."

Track titles  for each release follow below:

 MILES AHEAD – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

1. Miles Ahead           
2. Dialogue: "It takes a long time…" (*)
3. So What
4. Taylor Made – Taylor Eigisti
5. Dialogue: "Listen, you talk too goddam much…" (*)
6. Solea (excerpt)
7. Seven Steps To Heaven (edit)
8. Dialogue: "If you gonna tell a story…"(*)
9. Nefertiti (edit)
10. Frelon Brun                      
11. Dialogue: "Sometimes you have these thoughts…"(*)
12. Duran (take 6) (edit)
13. Dialogue: "You own my music…"(*)
14. Go Ahead John (part two C)
15. Black Satin (edit)
16. Dialogue: "Be musical about this shit…"(*)
17. Prelude #II
18. Dialogue: "Y’all listening to them…?(*)
19. Junior’s Jam – Robert Glasper, Keyon Harrold, Marcus Strickland
20. Francessence – Robert Glasper, Keyon Harrold, Elena Pinderhughes       
21. Back Seat Betty (excerpt) 
22. Dialogue: "I don’t like the word jazz…" (*)
23. What’s Wrong With That?  – Don Cheadle, Robert Glasper, Gary Clark, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Keyon Harrold, Antonio Sanchez, Esperanza Spaulding, Wayne Shorter 
24. Gone 2015 – Robert Glasper, Keyon Harrold, Pharoahe Monch

(*) from the soundtrack of the film, Don Cheadle as Miles Davis. All other tracks performed by Miles Davis, except where noted. Soundtrack album produced by Don Cheadle, Steve Berkowitz, Ed Gerrard & Robert Glasper. Soundtrack Executive Producers: Don Cheadle, Erin Davis, Darryl Porter &, Vince Wilburn.

EVERYTHING’S BEAUTIFUL

1. "Talking Shit"
2. "Ghetto Walkin" featuring Bilal
3. "They Can’t Hold Me Down" featuring Illa J
4. "Maiysha (So Long)" featuring Erykah Badu
5. "Violets" featuring Phonte
6. "Little Church" featuring Hiatus Kaiyote
7. "Silence Is The Way" featuring Laura Mvula
8. "Song For Selim" featuring KING
9. "Milestones" featuring Georgia Ann Muldrow
10. "I’m Leaving You" featuring John Scofield
11. "Right On Brotha" featuring Stevie Wonder