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Biography
Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton,
Illinois. He was known to the general public
primarily as a trumpet player. However, in the
world of music he had a great deal of influence
not only as a innovative bandleader but also as a
composer. His music and style was important in the
development of improvisational techniques
incorporating modes rather than standard chord
changes. Miles experiments with modal playing
reached its apotheosis in 1959 with his recording
of Kind of Blue.
Many of the great improvisers and their ideas
within the Davis groups were nurtured through
Miles Davis, as he acted as inspirational
overseer. The music and styles of Miles Davis from
one period of his life to the next varied quite
differently. He has composed many tunes that today
are considered standard repertoire for aspiring
jazz musicians. Tunes such as Nardis, Milestones,
and So What are typical examples. Miles Davis had
an uncanny ability of always selecting great
sidemen for his recording sessions. These
recordings are full of original and creative
sensitivity and are outstanding examples of jazz
recordings made at that time.
His popularity was so great that he mistakenly
received composer credit for a number of modern
jazz standards such as Blue in Green (by Bill
Evans) Tune Up and Four (by Eddie Vinson).
His creative and innovative approach to performing
such great standards as Bye Bye Blackbird and On
Green Dolphin Street has resulted in these tunes
becoming great jazz standards. Considered one of
the all time great melodic soloist of our time,
Miles Davis can be characterized as having unusual
and very skillful timing with simple or complex
melodic phrases. As were his counter parts,
Thelonious Monk Count Basie, Miles was a true
master of restraint with regard to the creative
process of his improvised lines.
His recording in 1954 of The Man I Love with Milt
Jackson and Thelonious Monk and Bags Grove are
typical examples of his inner ability of restraint
with regard to phrasing and time. Other dramatic
technique Miles used was his placement of notes
and the use of silence during his solos. Known in
the 1950s for his ability to vary the color of his
sound, pitch, and the use of a Harmon mute, Miles
solos resulted in a warm, rich, wispy, and even
intimate improvisation. Examples are Seven Steps
to Heaven and Kind of Blue, and today are part of
every jazz musicians repertoire. Late in the 1960s
Miles began to play more in the upper register.
Listen to Miles recordings in 1963 of Miles In
Europe and Four and More (1964). In 1969 facing
swirling social and musical currents, Miles
incorporated the use of electronic instruments
into his music. Using harsh dissonance's sounds
from electronic instruments he changed the way
music of the time was performed and understood. If
you listen to his recordings in 1970 you notice
his more explosive and violent style with long
burst, shattered tones, electronic echoes, and
numerous other alterations on his trumpet. Listen
to Live -Evil and Bitches Brew. Although Miles
Davis does not seem to play as fast or as high as
other trumpet players such as, Maynard Ferguson,
Dizzy Gillespie, or Clifford Brown, he always
maintained a constant momentum at any tempo. The
fact that Davis may or may not have been as
technical as other trumpet players, still does not
detract from the fact that his lines are more
varied and original than any other trumpeter of
his time.
It should be mentioned that Miles Davis is also
considered a great artistic painter. In 1988 he
created a series of abstract paintings. He was
inspired by a Milan -based design movement known
as "Memphis" founded by Ettore Sottsass.
Known for "hot colors" and
"clashing shapes" Memphis mixed and
matched a variety of historical motifs and closely
resembled a "postmodernism" style. Miles
found this style appealing and created a large
quantity of paintings. Most of the time Miles
appeared on-stage in bright colored clothing that
matched his painting style. He always seemed to
dazzled his audiences with the color of sound that
emanated from his horn and from his clothing. His
paintings in New York City (1990) received
enthusiastic reviews, as they did in Spain, West
Germany and Japan.
Davis had a great artistic gift for painting and
creating music. He is one of the very few jazz
musicians of our time who had the ability to
improvise and swing at a constant tempo. When
Miles played a tune it became part of his soul and
it never lost character. He passed away September
28, 1991 and he will be deeply missed. His music
and influence in the world of jazz and art will
remain with us for eternity
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