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BIOGRAPHY |
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Miles Dewey Davis was born on May 25, 1926 in Alton Ill. to a
middle-class family that moved to East St. Louis, Ill when he was a child. By the age pf 10 Davis was plaing trumpet, later performing in his high school band and several local jazz groups. When he was 18, Davis traveled to New York to study at Julliard School of Music, but soon dropped out to hang out in the city's burgeoning jazz scene. Getting his stat with Coleman Hawkins and Rubberlegs Williams, Davis soon joined Charlie Parker on several of late 40's albums in New York and California. In 1948 Davis started his own nine piece band, a highly-influential group considered a pioneering force in West Coast "cool jazz." After recording the 1949 classic Birth of the Cool, Davis left the bans to perform at the Paris Jazz Festival and work with other musicians. |
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During the 1950's Miles Davis struggled with heroin, releasing a series of erratic "hard bop" albums which varied from solid to highly dissppointing. By 1955 he had quit the drug later signed with Columbia Records, and launched a comeback with an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. Forming a new quintet with saxaphonist John Coltrane, Davis released several classic albums during the mid 50's before the group broke apart. He then went on to collaborate with Gill Evans on several albums in which he experimented with fluglehorn in addition to trumpet before forming a new sextet in 1958 with John Coltrane(tenor sax), Cannoball Adderley (alto sax), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones(drums). This group became Miles' classic backing band, recording grounding albums such as 1958's Milestones and 1959's Kind of Blue, which introduced modal improvisation to jazz. The group slowly drifted apart during the early 1960's. |
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| In 1964 Davis formed a new, more experimental quintet, featuring pianist Herbie Hancock, among others. the group slowly changed as members came and went, drifting from more traditional jazz to avant-garde material and later funky, keyboard-driven fusion, embodiedly the 1969 jazz-rock masterpiece Bitches Brew. During the early 70's Davis output tended towards more accessilbe, jazz-rock material whose guitars, keyboards, and studio effects turned off many jazz critics and traditionalists. In 1975 Miles Davis, in poor health due to years of drug and alcohol abuse, abruptly announced his retirement. Six years later he returned with a new band whose funky pop arrangements continued to alienate critics while winning over new fans. Throughout the 80's Davis toured and recorded. Finally in September of 1991 at age 65, sadly Miles Dewey Davis died from complications of pneumonia. Leaving behind a huge body of work which left a permanent mark on the world of jazz and music in general and continues to captivate listeners to this day. |
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