In a Silent Way: Joel Harrison Quintet plays Miles Davis

Guitarist and composer Joel Harrison brings his quintet to Bird & Beckett Books & Records for a deep dive into Miles Davis’ landmark 1970 album “In a Silent Way.” The band—Paul Hanson on reeds, Michael Manring on bass, and Scott Amendola on drums—are among the Bay Area’s most inventive musicians. Harrison, a former Berkeley resident, has spent decades creating what the New York Times calls “protean… brilliant” work that moves fluidly between jazz, classical, rock, country, and American roots music. He’s the founder of the Alternative Guitar Summit, an annual festival featuring innovators like Fred Frith, Nels Cline, and Bill Frisell. The evening will blend Davis’ iconic material with Harrison’s own compositions, approached with the band’s philosophy to “make it new.”