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Miles Davis
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Throughout a professional career lasting 50 years, Miles Davisplayed the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective, and melodicstyle, often employing a stemless harmon mute to make hissound more personal and intimate. But if his approach to hisinstrument was constant, his approach to jazz was dazzlinglyprotean. To examine his career is to examine the history ofjazz from the mid-'40s to the early '90s, since he was in thethick of almost every important innovation and stylisticdevelopment in the music during that period, and he often ledthe way in those changes, both with his own performancesand recordings and by choosing sidemen and collaboratorswho forged the new directions. It can even be argued that jazzstopped evolving when Davis wasn't there to push it forward.
Davis was the son of a dental surgeon, Dr. Miles DeweyDavis, Jr., and a music teacher, Cleota Mae (Henry) Davis,and thus grew up in the black middle class of East St. Louisafter the family moved there shortly after his birth. He becameinterested in music during his childhood and by the age of 12had begun taking trumpet lessons. While still in high school,he started to get jobs playing in local bars and at 16 wasplaying gigs out of town on weekends. At 17, he joined EddieRandle's Blue Devils, a territory band based in St. Louis. Heenjoyed a personal apotheosis in 1944, just after graduatingfrom high school, when he saw and was allowed to sit in withBilly Eckstine's big band, which was playing in St. Louis. Theband featured trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and saxophonistCharlie Parker, the architects of the emerging bebop style ofjazz, which was characterized by fast, inventive soloing anddynamic rhythm variations.
It is striking that Davis fell so completely under Gillespie andParker's spell, since his own slower and less flashy stylenever really compared with theirs. But bebop was the newsound of the day, and the young trumpeter was bound tofollow it. He did so by leaving the Midwest to attend theInstitute of Musical Art in New York City (since renamedJuilliard) in September 1944. Shortly after his arrival inManhattan, he was playing in clubs with Parker, and by 1945he had abandoned his academic studies for a full-time careeras a jazz musician, initially joining Benny Carter's band andmaking his first recordings as a sideman. He played withEckstine in 1946-1947 and was a member of Parker's group in1947-1948, making his recording debut as a leader on a 1947session that featured Parker, pianist John Lewis, bassistNelson Boyd, and drummer Max Roach. This was an isolateddate, however, and Davis spent most of his time playing andrecording behind Parker. But in the summer of 1948 heorganized a nine-piece band with an unusual horn section. Inaddition to himself, it featured an alto saxophone, a baritonesaxophone, a trombone, a French horn, and a tuba. Thisnonet, employing arrangements by Gil Evans and others,played for two weeks at the Royal Roost in New York inSeptember. Earning a contract with Capitol Records, the bandwent into the studio in January 1949 for the first of threesessions which produced 12 tracks that attracted littleattention at first. The band's relaxed sound, however, affectedthe musicians who played it, among them Kai Winding, LeeKonitz, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, J.J. Johnson, and KennyClarke, and it had a profound influence on the development ofthe cool jazz style on the West Coast. In February 1957,Capitol finally issued the tracks together on an LP calledBirth of the Cool.
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Melissa Aldana, Spike Wilner & Miles Davis
![Read "Melissa Aldana, Spike Wilner & Miles Davis" reviewed by Joe Dimino](jpg/023b1533e3b40069ffd3a256d241a2ac.jpg)
by Joe Dimino
We begin the 849th episode of Neon Jazz with Miles Davis to commemorate the book 3 Shades of Blue by James Kaplan. The book examines the phenomena of the iconic Kind of Blue album. From there, we hear Bill Evans and Jim Hall with music from Undercurrent (1962). We get a good dose of new tunes from Spike Wilner, Ken Peplowski and Danette McMahon. In between, we hear Rufus Reid and Eddie Harris. We close the show with Melissa Aldana ...
read moreMiles Davis and the Search for the Sound
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by Mark Sullivan
Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound (graphic novel) Dave Chisholm 150 Pages ISBN: #9798886560428 Z2 Comics2023 Artist and jazz trumpeter Dave Chisholm has created a series of graphic novels that combine his two loves. The most recent was Enter the Blue (Z2 Comics, 2022), a supernatural jazz story incorporating the history of Blue Note Records. But in many ways, this story recalls Chasin' the Bird: Charlie Parker in California (Z2 Comics, ...
read moreJazz Before the Oscars: Part 1
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by Ludovico Granvassu
In a few days the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood will host the Academy Awards, and so we thought that it would be a lot of fun to come up with an episode of Mondo Jazz featuring exclusively tunes inspired by, dedicated to, or titled after movie stars (regardless of whether or not they have won any Oscar awards).Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 The Stance Brothers Steve McQueen" ...
read moreMiles Davis Quintet: In Concert At The Olympia, Paris 1957
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by Ian Patterson
Another live Miles Davis recording. Well, once the studio outtakes have dried up, this is the only seam left to mine. Happily, with advances in sound technology, old radio broadcasts are increasingly being dusted down and treated to a little digital TLC. Since 1983, Fresh Sounds Records has been a leading light in reissues and archival releases (see Fresh Sound Records and the Legacy of Recorded Jazz), in addition to producing many hundreds of contemporary artists. This one from Jordi ...
read moreTokyo Jazz Joints: Capturing An Old Love Story
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by Ian Patterson
Could you imagine coffee shops in any North American or European city that played jazz non-stop all day, or bars where, variously, as you quenched your thirst, you heard only Blue Note Records, free-jazz or the music of, say, Miles Davis, according to the bar owner's tastes? Could you imagine such places where speaking is not only frowned upon but is actually banned in reverence to the music? Probably not, on both counts. In Japan, and especially in ...
read moreMiles Davis: 2nd Session 1956 Revisited
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by Glenn Astarita
The Miles Davis Quintet's 2nd Session 1956 Revisited revitalizes the iconic recordings from a pivotal year in jazz history. These original sessions, featuring Davis alongside luminaries like John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, stand as timeless classics that have indelibly shaped the course of jazz.This revisited edition captures the very essence and vitality of those legendary sessions while infusing them with a fresh perspective. The music's hallmark traits--the melodic sophistication and improvisational brilliance--are expertly ...
read moreThe Electric Years Box Set
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by Mike Jurkovic
In a year that has brought us a true bounty of previously unheard majesty including Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse!), and Bill Evans; Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestra Recordings from Denmark (1965-1969), (Elemental Music) it is only fitting that Miles Davis get his due. And in a very, very big way. Seared into modern memory, modern art, the music presented on the gloriously massive, eleven LP set Miles Davis: The Electric Years ...
read moreLegendary Miles Davis’ Saxophonist Sam Morrison 'Whatever: Anthology 1' Now Available On Blue Buddha Productions
![Legendary Miles Davis’ Saxophonist Sam Morrison 'Whatever: Anthology 1' Now Available On Blue Buddha Productions](jpg/780640a31d401b74b03ec0d1d956e57c.jpg)
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Glass Onyon PR - William James
Sam Morrison is a multifaceted musician known for his mastery of the soprano and tenor saxophones, as well as his artistry on the alto and bass flutes. With a career that spans several decades, he has left an indelible mark on the world of jazz, collaborating with legendary artists and contributing to iconic recordings. One of the standout moments in Sam’s career was his membership in the esteemed Miles Davis Band. His performance alongside Miles Davis at the 1975 Newport ...
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'Listen To This' Exploring The Early Electric Period Of Miles Davis
!['Listen To This' Exploring The Early Electric Period Of Miles Davis](jpg/023b1533e3b40069ffd3a256d241a2ac.jpg)
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Mary Curtin Productions
For the past year, improvising keyboardist Dave Bryant, curator and host of the Third Thursdays" series of monthly harmolodic jazz concerts, has also been involved with the Listen To This" musical project, which explores the rich musical legacy of Miles Davis, particularly from his early electric period 1968-1975. The project includes founder Jerome Deupree of Morphine and Either/Orchestra (drums), Russ Gershon of Either/Orchestra (woodwinds, organ), Rick Barry of Bim Skala Bim and Lookie Lookie (percussion), Todd Brunel of Know Orchestra ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis](jpg/023b1533e3b40069ffd3a256d241a2ac.jpg)
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Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Miles Davis' birthday today!
Throughout a professional career lasting 50 years, Miles Davis played the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective, and melodic style, often employing a stemless harmon mute to make his sound more personal and intimate. But if his approach to his instrument was constant, his approach to jazz was dazzlingly protean. To examine his career is to examine the history of jazz from the mid-'40s to the early '90s, since he was in ...
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August 1969: Rock, Jazz and Women
![August 1969: Rock, Jazz and Women](jpg/davis_cm.jpg)
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 1969 marked a dramatic turning point in the evolution of two forms of popular music—rock and jazz. In both cases, women came up short. The first transition took place In Bethel, N.Y., between August 15 and 18. There, four co-promoters of a four-day music festival known as Woodstock proved that rock and the rock concert were a much bigger deal than previously thought. With an estimated 400,000 people stretched out on hilly pastures running to the horizon, the audience's ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis](jpg/023b1533e3b40069ffd3a256d241a2ac.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Miles Davis' birthday today!
Throughout a professional career lasting 50 years, Miles Davis played the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective, and melodic style, often employing a stemless harmon mute to make his sound more personal and intimate. But if his approach to his instrument was constant, his approach to jazz was dazzlingly protean. To examine his career is to examine the history of jazz from the mid-'40s to the early '90s, since he was in ...
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Miles Davis: Will You Still Be Mine?
![Miles Davis: Will You Still Be Mine?](jpg/1024pxmarcmyers.jpg)
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Written by Matt Dennis and Tom Adair, Will You Still Be Mine? was first recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra in February 1941, with an arrangement by Axel Stordahl and a vocal refrain by Connie Haines. There were roughly seven version between Dorsey and Miles Davis in 1955. Davis's rendition appeared on Musings of Miles and featured Davis (tp), Red Garland (p), Oscar Pettiford (b) and Philly Joe Jones (d). Will You Still Be Mine?" is one of those ...
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Miles Davis in Milan in Color, 1964
![Miles Davis in Milan in Color, 1964](jpg/1024pxmarcmyers.jpg)
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
This clip will likely be familiar to you, but chances are you saw it in black and white. A couple of weeks ago, the footage was uploaded colorized. The concert featured the Miles Davis Quintet at the Teatro dell'Arte in Milan, Italy, on October 11th, 1964. When I saw it, thanks to Gilles D'Elia in Paris, a funny thing happened. The music became more interesting and gripping. Mind you, I tend to despise colorized films, but a clip of historic ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Miles Davis](jpg/023b1533e3b40069ffd3a256d241a2ac.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Miles Davis' birthday today!
Throughout a professional career lasting 50 years, Miles Davis played the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective, and melodic style, often employing a stemless harmon mute to make his sound more personal and intimate. But if his approach to his instrument was constant, his approach to jazz was dazzlingly protean. To examine his career is to examine the history of jazz from the mid-'40s to the early '90s, since he was in ...
read more
StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The "lost" ensembles of Miles Davis
![StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The "lost" ensembles of Miles Davis](jpg/stlouisjazznotes100.jpg)
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, let's take a look at some history related to the most important jazz musician to come from the St. Louis area, Miles Davis. As a bandleader, Davis had many celebrated groups over the years, such as the Birth of the Cool" nonet; the six-piece ensemble that recorded Kind of Blue; the first great quartet" of the 1950s featuring John Coltrane; and its successor in the 1960s with Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. All of ...
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