If Miles Davis‘ “Kind of Blue” is the gateway drug to Jazz music, than Bitches Brew is the overdose.  If you’ve heard the album than you know what I’m talking about, and if you have not yet experienced this rule-braking genre-bending dark odyssey,  you’re probably not ready yet…  40 years ago, Bitches Brew transcended the genre known as jazz (transcended is too soft a work) and blew peoples minds.  In honor of this landmark album, Sunset Junction Festival will host a remix/re-creation live performance featuring J.Rocc from Beat Junkies, Miles’ nephew/drummer Vince Wilburn Jr. and other special guests.  ChinaShop Got the inside scoop from Vince himself and here is what he had to say.

Please tell me about about yourself.   Who is Vince Wilburn, Jr.?

Vince Wilburn Jr: I’m from the south side of Chicago and I started playing drums in kindergarten.  I was the Little Drummer Boy in the school play.  I am also the CEO of Nefdrum Productions and run Miles Davis Properties, LLC along with my cousins’ Erin Davis (son of Miles) and Cheryl Davis (daughter of Miles).  I’ve toured and recorded with Miles and I’m currently working on putting together a full length hip-hop, remix tribute album, focusing on the classic work of Miles.

You also co-produced the 2008 Grammy nominated “Miles From India”,  which blended east with west and hit #8 on the Billboard Jazz charts, along with previously co-producing the Grammy Award winning album “Aura,” and “You’re Under Arrest,” right?   I mean, you’ve been really active.   I understand you’re also Executive Producer of the forthcoming Miles Davis biopic, which you can’t really discuss right now.

Vince Wilburn Jr: You’ve been talking to my publicist (laughs).

Of course, we’re all way up-to-speed!   Tell me…what can the Sunset Junction crowd expect to see with the Bitches Brew 40th Re-Mix performance?  Tell me about the line-up.

Vince Wilburn Jr: You can expect the unexpected.   A lot of improvisation and electronic funk mixed with hip hop.   A brew of a show!  And we’ll also be handing out  some of the new Bitches Brew Ale to a few lucky folks up front.  It’s going to be a lot of fun!   I have some of the baddest musicians on stage, including Wallace Roney (trumpet), Antoine Roney (Bass Clarinet, tenor sax and soprano sax), Darryl “Munch Man” Jones (on bass), Deron Johnson (keyboards), Munyungo (percussion), Badal Roy (on tabla), Fausto Cuevas (percussion), Blackbird McKnight (guitarist) along with myself on drums.

How did this interesting pairing with J.Rocc come about?

Vince Wilburn Jr: J.Rocc was brought to my attention by my publicist and the whole Stones Throw family.  We met face-to-face and J.Rocc expressed what a big Miles fan he was, with his big favorite being “Man with the Horn.” Just sitting down with J.Rocc and spending time with him, I knew this would be something really special.   J.Rocc will be adding spices to the brew from his personal laboratory.   We don’t even know what that might be, and I’m really excited about that!   It’s straight from J.Rocc Lab.

Bitches Brew is celebrating its 40th Anniversary.  Tell me what you consider to be the greatest importance and legacy of this work?  Why does it continue to resonate so deeply with the public?

Vince Wilburn Jr: Because Miles was a forward thinker, never looking back, so the music that was recorded 40 years ago stands the test of time.  It keeps evolving.   It was music from his soul.    That’s what comes from genius’s.  He just kept pushing the envelope forward and kept changing the face of music.  Bitches Brew was his jazz-rock-funk-fusion masterpiece.

What are you most excited about this year at Sunset Junction?

Vince Wilburn Jr: That its a multitude of great people coming together to listen to all kinds of different music from all of the stages.  I love the diversity of the people and the music line-ups are really cool.  I’m excited about checking out the Ohio Players, Dam Funk,  Everest, Mayer Hawthorne, Fishbone, Bad Brains, Ghostland Observatory and Sam Sparro.  I’m going to be busy!

What do you think Miles would have thought about this performance and Sunset Junction?

Vince Wilburn Jr: He would have loved it!  He would have wanted to perform.  His last album was “Doo Bop,” produced by Eazy Mo Bee, so he would have loved the DJ, hip hop, techno and funky elements of the fair.  You couldn’t pigeon-hole him, just like you can’t pigeon hole Sunset Junction.  Miles hated labels.  No labels, no boundaries.   He would have fit right in.

If you could have one wish, who would you like to be a surprise “sit in” with the Bitches Brew 40th Re-Mix performance?

Vince Wilburn Jr: Prince.  He was a friend of Miles and Miles dug Prince.

Any last words in parting?

Vince Wilburn Jr: I love that everyone is keeping an open mind and grooving to the music.   Can’t wait to hit the Junction!

The Bitches Brew 40th Re-Mix performance at Sunset Junction Fair takes place on Saturday, August 21 on The Bates Stage. The tribute celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Davis’s jazz-rock-funk fusion masterpiece Bitches Brew, which will be re-released in two different configurations by Sony Music/Legacy Recordings on August 31.

Q&A is courtesy of Sunset Junction. Picture by Mark Owen