Three Icons Celebrate Miles Davis Centennial at Smoke Jazz Club

Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, and Billy Hart
Smoke Jazz and Supper Club
Miles Davis 100th Celebration
New York, NY
May 29, 2026

In late May 2026, the music community was in the throes of Miles Davis centennial mania.

Music labels released fancy, often expensive re-packages of Davis' music. Davis' autobiography was given a flashy re-release. Anyone who has ever picked up a trumpet participated in a tribute concert—or so it seemed. Countless journalists—music and otherwise—published features, tributes, and think-pieces to mark the occasion, some of whom, frankly, had no business tackling the subject matter.

Given the expansive cottage industry that is the Davis centennial, it took three legends to rise above the cacophony and remind jazz fans why the music world is actually celebrating Davis in the first place. Trumpet icon Miles Davis led an absolute monster of a quintet, also featuring NEA Jazz Masters and Davis—affiliated veterans Gary Bartz (alto saxophone) and Billy Hart (drums), during a residency at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club for its annual Miles Davis Celebration the last week of May. Spring chickens by comparison, contemporary luminaries Kevin Hays (piano) and Ben Street (bass) rounded out the group.

Even with a music icon whose career, persona, and overall mystique is as deep, rich, and multi-faceted as Davis' is, there can only be so many words expended on them before information overload sets in. That is when a music fan is well served to simply return to the purity of the music itself, and Henderson's quintet provided such a respite. Henderson never appeared on an album with Davis, but their personal histories were nevertheless intertwined; Davis was a good friend of Henderson's parents and mentored the young Henderson, even staying with the Henderson family during a spell. Henderson attributes his own success in part to Davis's teachings, and recorded Davis songs on numerous occasions throughout his career. Henderson was therefore the perfect musician to lead such a special tribute.

Bartz and Hart did spend considerable time recording and touring with Davis. Bartz appeared on the seminal Live-Evil (Columbia Records, 1971) album, and Hart played drums on the initially controversial, but now revered, On The Corner (Columbia Records, 1972), all while Davis was in the midst of his electric, fusion era. The 8pm set on May 29 was, on the other hand, an all-acoustic affair that explored Davis' work during the '50s and '60s. Henderson had previously recorded several of the songs played during the set on his Davis tribute album, So What (Eighty-Eights, 2003)

The set began, as Davis tributes often do, with "So What," the beloved opening track from Kind Of Blue (Columbia Records, 1959). The band began with the iconic opening measures, but then took off in its own direction. This version was more assertive and less restrained than the original, with the group perhaps unburdened by the modal limitations imposed by Davis on the original sextet.

On "So What," Henderson and Bartz began a dynamic that lasted throughout the set that was just positively delightful. Henderson, dignified and somewhat intense, interpreted Davis' music in a brilliantly contemplative and reflective manner. Bartz, on the other hand, was having a blast. Bartz, clad in an amazing polka dot blazer, bounced all over the stage in complete disregard of his nearly 86 years. Bartz's saxophone was brash and majestic and, in almost a playful dismissal of his former boss's tendencies, he played a lot of notes. No matter, they were all joyful. Henderson and Bartz played off each other all set, the straight man and the funny man—a jazz comedy duo.

The group continued paying tribute to Kind of Blue with "Flamenco Sketches," one of the most beautiful tracks on the album. Hays, who kind of floated in the background on "So What," proclaimed his presence with an impactful solo, matching skill with his elder bandmates.

A bit of harmonic improvisation by the quintet segued into the opening rhythms of "Someday My Prince Will Come." The band offered a generally spot-on take, though highlighted by a soulful solo by Bartz that introduced an element of gospel in the well-worn standard.

Hart finally broke out on "Prince of Darkness," from the Davis' second great quintet album Sorcerer (Columbia Records, 1967). Hart led a driving, Latin-tinged beat, accompanied by Hays, and the two swung hard. Hart contributed a vigorous, age-defying drum solo during the song. The set concluded with a bluesy rendition of Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy," originally featured on .Miles Smiles (Columbia Records, 1967). While a relatively deep cut compared to the previous selections, the song demonstrated the richness and depth of a legacy being appropriately commemorated.