Miles Davis documentary on BBC2 tonight

That rarity a prime time spot for a jazz themed programme hoves into view on national TV.

Tonight at 9pm Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool is on BBC2. Directed by Stanley Nelson who, when the film first entered cinemas last year, said: “The story of Miles Davis has often been told as the story of a drug-addled genius. You rarely see a portrait of a man that worked hard at honing his craft, a man who deeply studied and understood classical music. An elegant man who could render ballads with such tenderness, yet hold rage in his heart from the racism he faced throughout his life. “He could be extremely generous, yet rescind that generosity on a whim. He could be shamelessly romantic with the women in his life, then unspeakably cruel. Miles was a man apart — in life, in love, in music — and there has never been a major documentary about this man who never looked back, rarely apologised, and changed everything we thought we knew about jazz, about music — several times in his career.”

Features ''never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes and rare photos.''

Miles Davis above. Photo: Tom Palumbo.

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Danny Ray Thompson has died. He was 72. The Sun Ra Arkestra tweeted the news mentioning that the player passed away two days ago.

On the Arkestra website there is a tribute: ''Danny Ray Thompson… was on 72 Arkestra recordings and performed on baritone sax, alto sax, flute, Neptunian libflecto (bassoon with French horn or saxophone mouthpiece), percussion, and vocals within the band. He performed 45 years in the Sun Ra Arkestra, first joining it in 1967. He also served as Band Manager during his Arkestra tenure. Danny Ray Thompson is now travelling the spaceways, joining the many beloved Arkestra members who have previously left the planet and who now soar with the spirit of Sun Ra.''

Known by the nickname Pico he ''arrived on the planet'' in Sun Ra lingo on 1 October 1947, born in New York City. With his family he later moved to Los Angeles and after high school moved back to Harlem and studied at night school at the Julliard School of Music. His teachers included Garvin Bushell on flute and alto sax and again on flute James Spaulding. His first professional gig was with fabled Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji in 1966. Through Marshall Allen and John Gilmore Thompson first met Sun Ra. He later became the Arkestra manager and after leaving for an extended period rejoined in 2002.