Miles Jaye
Miles Jaye Davis (born November 12, 1957), known professionally as Miles Jaye, is an American R&B and jazz singer, jazz violinist, songwriter, and record producer. He had several hits on the US R&B chart in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the biggest of which was "Let's Start Love Over" in 1987. He was for a time the lead singer of Village People.
Miles Jaye | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Miles Jaye Davis |
| Born | November 12, 1957 Yonkers, New York, United States |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | R&B, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, violinist |
| Instruments | Violin, keyboards, bass |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | Island, Black Tree |
| Associated acts | Village People Teddy Pendergrass |
| Website | milesjaye |
Life and career
He was born in Yonkers, New York,[1] and studied music theory and classical violin for more than a decade at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Saratoga School of Orchestral Studies, Indian Hill and Brooklyn College (now Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music).[2] He also played flute, keyboards and bass while in the US Air Force, and launched his singing career while at Clarke Air Force Base in the Philippines.[3] Jaye toured Europe with jazz guitarist Eric Gale and singers Phyllis Hyman and Jon Lucien before taking over as "Cop" in the Village People in 1982.[3] He stayed with the band for two years before launching his solo career and signing to Teddy Pendergrass' production company Top Priority Records. He released his debut album, Miles, on Island Records, and the song "Let's Start Love Over," written by Micheal Claxton was released as a single and rose to # 5 on the Billboard R&B chart in late 1987. Its follow-up, "I've Been a Fool For You," a Jaye original, was also a top ten R&B hit and has become a soul classic. Jaye also contributed, as musician, songwriter and co-producer, to Pendergrass' hit 1988 album, Joy.[3]
Jaye released two further albums on Island, Irresistible (1989) and Strong (1991), and continued to have hits on the R&B chart such as "Heaven" and "Objective" until 1991 before forming his own company, Black Tree Records, on which he released a string of increasingly jazz-influenced albums.[4] He has also worked with leading jazz musicians including George Duke, Roy Ayers, Grover Washington, Jr. and Branford Marsalis.[2]
Discography
Studio Albums
- Miles (1987)
- Irresistible (1989)
- Strong (1991)
- The Odyssey (1998)
- Humanity (1999)
- Divine Ascension (2003)
- Time to Get My Mind Right (2004)
- Romantic Storm (2005)
- Secret Waters (2007)
- Christmas with Miles Jaye (2008)
- The Truth About Love (2009)
- God's Creation (2010)
- Attenergy (2011)
- Happier Days (2013)
- Heart & Soul (2014)
- Romantic Night (2014)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B[1] |
UK Singles Chart[5] | ||
| 1987 | "Let's Start Love Over" | 5 | 77 |
| 1988 | "I've Been A Fool For You" | 8 | - |
| 1989 | "Objective" | 10 | - |
| "I'll Be There" | 30 | - | |
| "Heaven" | 12 | 78 | |
| 1990 | "Irresistible" | 42 | - |
| 1991 | "Sensuous" | 42 | - |
| "Strong For You" | 67 | - | |
References
- Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 225.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Miles Jaye - Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "MILES JAYE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Retrieved May 16, 2020.
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