MICHELLE MARGETTS
Jim admitted that he was in awe of Miles Davis. I think he used the word “starstruck.” And Davis, a notoriously cantankerous individual, was far less approachable than the mellow, diffident John Coltrane, who took an instant liking to Jim. You can see it in the way Jim’s work with Davis progresses, starting with live shots and quick grabs backstage, Davis seemingly oblivious to Jim’s presence.
This is how I remember hearing one of Jim’s favorite Davis stories, told ruefully even decades after it happened: He was walking by Davis backstage and got the bright idea to make conversation. I paraphrase: “Hey, Miles, why do you play a green trumpet?” To which the take-no-prisoners Davis retorted, “Motherfucker, why are you asking me about the color of my trumpet? I don’t ask you why you are using a black camera!” Jim flinched when he first told me that story, even though it had been two decades.
Thankfully for all of us, Jim just had to give connecting with Davis one more try, this time leading with his one true strength, his work. At another event, Davis was hanging out offstage surrounded by friends, bandmates, handlers, and the like. Jim had brought along one of his favorite portraits, a print of John Coltrane, and gave it to Davis. When Davis saw the print he flipped out, went over to Jim to thank him, and told him that Coltrane was one of his favorite musicians. Davis looked Jim dead in the eye with those crazy laser beams and asked, “Why don’t you ever take pictures like that of me?” To which Jim replied, “Why don’t you let me?”
Jim sometimes referred to his photo of Davis in the ring as “Don’t Hit Me in the Mouth, I Gotta Play Tonight,” which was apparently what Davis would tell his sparring partners at Newman’s Gym before they tussled. It was unusual that Miles would let Jim, or any photographer, shadow him during his workouts, which he viewed as sort of a sacred part of his regimen.
I also love the color shots of Miles at the groundbreaking Isle of Wight music festival in 1970, especially the shot of Miles grinning (pictures of a genuinely happy Miles are so rare!).
MILES DAVIS playing his green trumpet, 1960
MILES DAVIS at the Isle of Wight Festival, Newport, United Kingdom, 1970
DAVIS in the boxing ring at Newman’s Gym, San Francisco, 1971
JOHN COLTRANE outside his house in Queens, New York, 1963
