Someday My Prince Will Come

Recently we were invited by a correspondent to test-listen to some new speakers.  It had been a long time since “listening to music” was the whole activity we were doing.  Among other things we tried out this Miles Davis album, recorded March 7, 20, 21st of 1961.

During the next session, while Miles was about to wrap up “Someday My Prince Will Come,” John Coltrane suddenly appeared in the studio between two sets at the Apollo Theater where he was performing.

So says milesdavis.com, which continues (demonstrating why reading about jazz is associated with being a huge douche-out):

In two choruses,Coltrane conveyed the quintessence of his art. The next day he returned bringing, forthe last time, the intensity of his flame to the music of Miles, who in “Teo,” took advantage of his presence to extend the modal explorations of “Flamenco Sketches” even further.

Anyway.  The following anecdote was once reported in The Guardian:

In 1987, [Davis] was invited to a White House dinner by Ronald Reagan. Few of the guests appeared to know who he was. During dinner, Nancy Reagan turned to him and asked what he’d done with his life to merit an invitation. Straight-faced, Davis replied: “Well, I’ve changed the course of music five or six times. What have you done except fuck the president?”

Snopes however tells us it wasn’t so, and quotes Davis’ own autobiography, where he wrote:

Reagan was nice to us, respectful and everything.  But Nancy is the one who has the charm between those two.  She seemed like a warm person. She greeted me warmly and I kissed her hand.  She liked that.

Too bad.

What a great album cover.  That’s Miles’ then-wife Frances.  According to a message board we came across, she was working as a hostess at Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Blvd. as of 2004.

She’s still beautiful and has the body of a dancer. Totally charming woman… She seemed totally open about who she is and her past with Miles and would probably be happy to chat with anyone about it should they stop by the restaurant.

Hamburger Hamlet is now closed.