CHICAGO- The year is 1975 and Rhythmistic visual artist Turtel Onli decides to create a Rhythmistic treatment of Miles Davis for use as an album cover. Then he makes the perilous maiden voyage to New York to stalk Miles down. With his goal being to offer this impressive Rhythmistic illustration to Miles as a future album cover. At the time Onli was a regular illustrator with Playboy Magazine & The Johnson Publishing Company along with being the founding director of B.A.G., The Black Arts Guild. So why not try? By way of the likes of hair-dresser to the stars, James Finney, he visits Miles, over breakfast, in the Davis home. The transaction does not go well as Miles insists Onli release the rights to the artwork for free. No compensation other than the privilege to be part of the Davis Universe. No payment! Simply put, Onli said "No!', to this generous offer.
Years later the original artwork was collected by a Chicago based fine art collector/musician. Onli is still a practicing Rhythmistic Visual Artist, indie-publisher & Arts Educator.
His 1974 Delmark Records album cover for the brilliant Avant-Garde jazz greats Joseph Jarman & Anthony Braxton is featured as the lead album cover in the Gallery Section of the landmark book, "Rhythm Freedom & Sound".
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