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Gregory Hutchinson: Sort of Miles

Jan Kobrzinowski11-04-20264 min. read

The whole world is currently focused on Miles Davis, including drummer Gregory Hutchinson. He has created a Miles album entirely from the perspective of a rhythm section musician.

Gregory Hutchinson has dedicated his album to all the great drummers who have played with the trumpeter: from Kenny Clarke, Philly Joe Jones, and Jimmy Cobb to Al Foster, Tony Williams, and a few others.Jan Kobrzinowski: From a rhythmic perspective, Miles has it all. Is “Kind of Now – The Pulse of Miles Davis” meant to be a journey through all rhythms and styles?Gregory Hutchinson: I wanted to make an album that covered the different phases of Miles’s career. I thought that if I could find the right musicians, we could create something that truly represented Miles. I hoped he’d say, “Okay, yeah, you interpreted it differently; you didn’t do it exactly the same way. You understood the music and where the energy and mood lie, but you took a different path.” That’s exactly what we did. And I hope everyone feels that when they listen. All styles of jazz drumming are represented—both progressive and traditional. As a drummer, I felt like a kid in a toy store. There are so many possibilities, but at the same time, you have to do exactly what the music calls for.Jan Kobrzinowski: Was it important to you to play the way Miles would have wanted?Gregory Hutchinson: It’s impossible to imitate Miles’s style of playing. For example, I’ve always loved “Fran Dance”—to me, it’s always been one of those songs that just swings. Miles played it with a larger ensemble. I said, “Okay, let’s just play it as a trio.” There’s a version with Gerald Clayton playing solo piano—that was actually supposed to be on the album. That would have been more than enough for me, but it didn’t quite fit with the rest.Jan Kobrzinowski: How did the lineup for “Kind of Now” come together?Gregory Hutchinson: Out of curiosity. What will they play that will make me want to play something different? And that’s how we recorded the album. One take, two at most. We met the day before and rehearsed the songs. And before we started recording, I told them something crucial: I don’t care about anything we did yesterday. Don’t tell me what you were thinking yesterday, because maybe you feel differently today. And that’s exactly what came out of it. I’ve known these guys for a long time, so I didn’t have to convince them. They just waited to see what I had in mind. I’ve played with each of them in their respective bands. Ron Blake and I played with Roy Hargrove. I’ve also played in a trio with Joe Sanders and Gerald Clayton. With Ambrose, I was in a trio with Bill Frisell. The two newcomers were Jakob Bro and Emmanuel Michael. I already knew Bro, but we’d never played together before; Emmanuel was a young student I had the pleasure of teaching at the Manhattan School of Music when I filled in for Kendrick Scott. When I heard him play guitar, I thought: Man, he’s the next big voice on this instrument, the next rising star. I like it when people bring their energy and personality to the table and you don’t have to tell anyone what to do. We all felt like we were on the same wavelength, in the same mood.Jan Kobrzinowski: The album spans virtually the entire history of Miles' music, though not chronologically.Gregory Hutchinson: Miles’ music is still relevant, electrifying, swinging—it’s just everything. And full of lyricism. Normally, one might present the music chronologically. But that would be too simple, too boring for me. Let’s open a book at some point in the story instead. You can just go back and maybe jump right to the very beginning. That’s a fantastic way to tell a story. When we start with the later phase and jump back and forth, you close your eyes, sit down, put the record on, and experience just how incredible Miles was. He might have interpreted all these pieces completely differently. And that’s exactly what’s so great about it. It’s like trying to capture Miles’s essence and spirit, but at the same time, these young guys take me on a journey. I wanted to present the music I grew up with—the music that shaped me—in a way that gives you a new perspective on Miles. And I want people to have fun. Sit back, set aside any preconceived notions, and just listen to it as it is!
"Kind of Now – The Pulse of Miles Davis" is diverse. It features duets, a trio, a full band with two guitars, drum solos, and a wonderful intro by Ambrose Akinmusire for Wayne Shorter’s “Orbits,” the creation of which even surprised Gregory Hutchinson himself: “He started playing, and I sat there thinking the whole time, ‘I have no idea how we’re supposed to get into “Orbits” from here.’ Then suddenly he took off, and we were right in the middle of it. It was all meant to feel like a live performance. And that’s exactly what it was.”Jan Kobrzinowski, Jazz TheoryThis article appeared in the May/June 2026 issue of the Jazz Theory.

Gregory Hutchinson at Moods

  • «Kind of Now – The Pulse of Miles Davis»

    • Gregory Hutchinson Quintet

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