Miles had always been aloof, even forbidding, on the stage; he delighted in his "Prince of Darkness" role, his huge sunglasses walling him off from the audience, acting like a beautiful, deadly animal behind bars that one pays to see at a zoo. He would pace back and forth, showing his colors, occasionally baring his claws and roaring, aiming always to intimidate as well as to entertain. That pose was all gone now [1980]. In its place was something unexpected: Miles was actually reaching out to his audience, as if seeking their approval… There was a man in a wheelchair right at the edge of the stage… Miles spotted him during "My Man's Gone Now," and slowly walked toward him as he played. Then he stopped right in front of this guy and played the solo to him, the bell of his trumpet about a foot from the man's face. After apparently finishing the solo, Miles extended his arm, as if to shake hands. The fellow reached out and they held hands, only Miles wouldn't let go--he held the man's hand, and then proceeded to solo again for at least three minutes. When he had finished, he extended the horn to the guy, as if saying "Your turn." The audience went crazy with applause, which Miles acknowledged with a wave. << less