Miles Davis catalog

Miles Davis during an April 1959 Kind of Blue recording session. Photo Credit: Reservoir Media

Reservoir Media (NASDAQ: RSVR) has announced a Miles Davis catalog deal – and forthcoming name and likeness collaborations with the jazz legend’s estate.

New York City-headquartered Reservoir unveiled the IP investment (but not the financial particulars thereof) this morning. As described by the purchaser, the transaction extends to Davis’ publishing catalog and certain “rights to his recorded music,” which includes north of 60 studio albums.

Meanwhile, the company and the estate (overseen by Miles’ daughter Cheryl, son Erin, nephew Vincent Wilburn Jr., manager Darryl Porter, and Greenberg Traurig’s Jeff Biederman) intend to coordinate on projects commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Rock Hall of Famer’s birth next year.

Those efforts will encompass “a variety of events, special programming, high-profile tributes and concerts, marketing collaborations, and other celebrations,” spelled out the Lightroom investor Reservoir.

Regarding specifics, the buyer mentioned the upcoming Miles & Juliette feature film, which will recount “Davis’ love affair with Juliette Greco.” (River Road Entertainment and Mick Jagger’s Jagged Films are co-developing the movie.)

Also on the horizon is an “international symphonic show” pairing “Davis’ iconic sound with original orchestrations and cherished footage,” besides an M.E.B. (previously known as the Miles Electric Band) international tour.

(Though technically operated as a non-profit providing “educational enrichment opportunities,” Davis’ restored childhood home in East St. Louis offers tours and more, it’s worth noting.)

Addressing the play, Reservoir head Golnar Khosrowshahi touted Davis’ career and touched on plans to bring the eight-time Grammy winner’s “brilliance to new audiences.”

“Miles Davis is one of the most influential musicians of all time,” Khosrowshahi communicated, “and it is an incredible honor that his catalog has found a home at Reservoir. We are deeply grateful to the entire Miles Davis Estate–Cheryl, Erin, Vince, Darryl and Jeff–for entrusting us with this responsibility.

“This moment is also a recognition of Reservoir’s proven commitment and capability to preserve legacies and reignite discovery of legendary artists on modern platforms, like streaming and social media,” the exec continued. “As we head into his centennial year, we look forward to showcasing Miles’ brilliance to new audiences, ensuring his music continues to be heard and celebrated worldwide.”

Of course, Reservoir isn’t alone in looking to fuel new fan interest in legacy catalogs – or hunting for fresh revenue streams by capitalizing on NIL opportunities.

On the former front, DMN Pro’s Music IP Acquisition Tracker has registered more than a few deals to this point in 2025. And most recently, the immersive experience craze last week saw Eventbrite launch a division called Britehouse.