MILES DAVIS'S PERFORMANCE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL: Marketing Operation or Shamanic Ritual?

This article analyzes Miles Davis's performance at the Isle of Wight Festival on August 29, 1970, situating it at the crossroads between a marketing operation and a shamanic ritual. At that time, Davis, the famous jazz trumpeter, was presenting an electric and experimental style, distant from traditional rock and jazz, which unsettled an audience that was predominantly pop/rock. His septet, combining electric and acoustic instruments, embodied an innovative musical fusion, while his stage and wardrobe approach conveyed a posture that was both refined and symbolic. The article also highlights the controversies sparked by this electric period of Davis, oscillating between criticisms of commercial opportunism and mystical interpretations, notably through a shamanic reading of his art, linked to African-American cultural influences and contemporary spirituality. [Extracted from the article]