By Thierry De Clemensat
Member, Jazz Journalists Association
Editor-in-Chief, Bayou Blue Radio
U.S. Correspondent – Paris-Move / ABS Magazine
Reservoir Media has acquired the publishing rights to the music catalog of Miles Davis, the legendary trumpeter whose influence on American music rivals that of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and John Coltrane. The deal, finalized on September 9, gives the New York–based music rights company a key foothold in what is expected to be a global wave of commemorations surrounding the centenary of Davis’s birth in 2026.
The transaction was announced without financial terms, but it underscores how publishers and investors are continuing to view iconic jazz, soul, and rock catalogs as stable assets with long-term revenue potential. Catalog acquisitions, which surged in the past five years with blockbuster deals for Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Nicks, have broadened beyond rock into jazz and other genres once considered niche. For Reservoir, which went public in 2021 on the NASDAQ under the ticker RSVR, the Davis acquisition strengthens its growing portfolio of legacy artists and signals a clear bet on jazz as a global cultural brand.
Strategic Alignment with the Estate
The acquisition does more than transfer royalties. Reservoir is now formally aligned with the Davis estate, which is managed by his daughter Cheryl Davis, his son Erin Davis, and his nephew and longtime musical collaborator Vincent Wilburn Jr. Together with estate manager Darryl Porter and attorney Jeff Biederman, the family has mapped out a centennial strategy expected to include concerts, symphonic productions, marketing collaborations, and archival releases.
In a statement, Reservoir said it intends to work closely with the estate to “expand and extend the reach of Davis’s legacy worldwide.” Already, the company’s website features prominent Davis references, highlighting how quickly the publishing rights are being integrated into its branding and long-term planning.
A Centennial With Commercial Reach
The centennial of Miles Davis, who was born in Alton, Illinois, in 1926, is shaping up as a global event extending well beyond the jazz audience. Planned projects include a feature film, Miles & Juliette, dramatizing Davis’s relationship with French singer and actress Juliette Gréco. The film, currently in development with River Road Entertainment and Mick Jagger’s Jagged Films, positions Davis not just as a musician but as a cultural figure in postwar Europe’s artistic ferment.
Another major initiative is an international symphonic concert series that will combine Davis’s most iconic works with newly commissioned orchestral arrangements and archival film footage, offering what organizers describe as a “multi-sensory” reintroduction of his work. Meanwhile, the M.E.B. (formerly the Miles Electric Band), composed of musicians with direct links to Davis’s electric-era ensembles, is planning a worldwide tour that will include a four-night centennial celebration at San Francisco’s SFJazz in March.
The Economics of Legacy Catalogs
Industry analysts note that catalogs like Davis’s remain attractive because they generate steady, diversified revenue streams from streaming, synchronization licensing (film, advertising, video games), and physical reissues. In jazz specifically, streaming has revived interest in back catalogs, with younger audiences discovering canonical albums through curated playlists and algorithm-driven recommendations. Davis, who recorded Kind of Blue, still the best-selling jazz album of all time, is a perennial entry point into the genre.
Beyond existing works, the estate has hinted that unreleased material may surface in time for the centennial. Davis was known for his prolific recording habits, and insiders believe there are unfinished sessions, concert recordings, and studio outtakes that could be prepared for commercial release. Such “from the vault” projects have proven lucrative for labels managing the catalogs of artists such as John Coltrane and Jimi Hendrix.
Reservoir’s Expanding Portfolio
Reservoir Media, founded in 2007 by Golnar Khosrowshahi, has steadily grown from an independent music publisher into a publicly traded firm with more than 150,000 copyrights across genres. Its acquisitions include catalogs from hip-hop pioneers like De La Soul, country legends such as Travis Tritt, and rock acts including Alabama and Sheryl Crow. The Davis deal adds one of the most respected names in jazz to that roster, diversifying the company’s revenue base and enhancing its profile in international markets.
The company’s strategy reflects the broader trend of music rights consolidation, where publishing and master recordings are increasingly seen as alternative assets akin to real estate or infrastructure. Revenues are often predictable, royalties are protected by long-standing copyright law, and demand for recognizable music remains strong across film, streaming, advertising, and live events. For Reservoir, attaching itself to the Davis centennial provides a cultural and financial multiplier, combining prestige with the promise of new commercial activity.
A Legacy in Motion
Over the past decade, the Davis estate has shown an unusual willingness to experiment with how his legacy is presented, from the Emmy Award–winning documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool to the multimedia retrospective We Want Miles, which traveled internationally. These projects suggest that the centennial will not simply recycle Davis’s past but actively reframe it for 21st-century audiences.
For Reservoir, the acquisition of Davis’s catalog is as much about the future as the past. It ensures that when the world pauses in 2026 to honor one of America’s most restless innovators, the company will not only own the publishing rights but also play a central role in shaping how that legacy is presented, and monetized, for decades to come.