The mood was all Miles

Orbert Davis brought his sextet to Evanston SPACE this week to play a tribute to Miles Davis. Davis played Davis. “It was magical,” said Orbert. “It felt like a small jazz club, but yet a concert hall. The sound was impeccable. I can’t imagine a more attentive audience for every single note.” Davis, an Emmy-winning trumpeter, appeared with Kevin King on saxophone, Leandro Lopez Varady on keyboard, John Moulder on guitar, John Tate on bass and Ernie Adams on drums. The sextet performed in the Miles tradition. “It was the same kind of collective, spontaneous playing I think everyone saw from the band,” Davis said. “It didn t feel like that they were accompanying me. This was a true group improvisation.” It was the first time Davis performed at SPACE, 1243 Chicago Ave. But he has Evanston connections. He received a master’s degree in music pedagogy from Northwestern University. His wife and daughter attended Northwestern. “It felt like home,” he said.