Reservoir Acquires Miles Davis Catalog Ahead of Jazz Icon’s 100th Birthday

Reservoir Media has acquired the publishing catalog and recorded euphony rights of iconic jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis, marking a important enlargement of its portfolio up of Davis’ centennial successful 2026. The woody besides includes a concern with the Miles Davis Estate to research opportunities involving Davis’ sanction and likeness. Terms of the woody were not disclosed.

The estate, managed by Davis’ girl Cheryl, lad Erin, nephew Vincent Wilburn Jr., wide manager Darryl Porter, and lawyer Jeff Biederman, volition collaborate with Reservoir connected a wide-ranging solemnisation of Davis’ 100th birthday.

“We are truthful pleased to statesman this caller section of Miles’ legacy,” said Erin Davis, portion Wilburn Jr. commented that “this concern gives america the accidental to elevate his bequest successful caller ways, and to guarantee that his power continues to inspire.”

Planned centennial activations see a diagnostic movie titled Miles & Juliette, chronicling Davis’ romance with Juliette Greco, developed with River Road Entertainment and Mick Jagger’s Jagged Films. Additionally, a unrecorded planetary symphonic amusement volition brace Davis’ euphony with archetypal orchestrations and archival footage, and yet the M.E.B. (formerly Miles Electric Band) volition embark connected an planetary tour, including a tally astatine SFJazz successful March. These events physique connected the estate’s caller successes, specified arsenic the Emmy-winning documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool and the traveling exhibition We Want Miles.

One of the astir influential musicians of any genre of any time, Davis’ dizzying vocation spanned 5 decades, during which helium released implicit 60 workplace albums and collaborated with galore chap icons, including John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter. The Alton, Illinois autochthonal was known for perpetually reinventing his dependable and galore of his landmark albums correspond pristine encapsulations of respective jazz styles, including chill jazz (Birth of the Cool, 1957), modal jazz (Kind of Blue, 1959), 3rd watercourse (Sketches of Spain, 1959), post-bop (Miles Smiles, 1967) and fusion (Bitches Brew, 1970).

Kind of Blue is considered his crowning accomplishment andremains the best-selling jazz medium of each time, lawsuit ranking No. 12 connected Rolling Stone’s database of “The Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Reservoir laminitis and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi said, “Miles Davis is 1 of the astir influential musicians of each time, and it is an unthinkable grant that his catalog has recovered a location astatine Reservoir.” She added, “This infinitesimal is besides a designation of Reservoir’s proven committedness and capableness to sphere legacies and reignite find of legendary artists connected modern platforms, similar streaming and societal media. As we caput into his centennial year, we look guardant to showcasing Miles’ brilliance to caller audiences, ensuring his euphony continues to beryllium heard and celebrated worldwide.”

Reservoir Media’s acquisition aligns with its broader maturation strategy. In its astir caller quarterly earnings, Reservoir reported an 8% gross summation to $37.2 million, with adjusted EBITDA rising 10% to $13.9 million. Publishing gross grew 4%, portion sync gross surged 48%. The institution besides partnered with Fool’s Gold Records to get maestro rights and negociate distribution, and invested successful London-based immersive amusement steadfast Lightroom, which creates experiences astir euphony IP. These moves bespeak Reservoir’s committedness to expanding its power successful euphony and amusement done strategical acquisitions and partnerships.