He's the undisputed king of jazz. The man that was consistantly at the fore front of the Jazz revolution, the pioneer of Fussion Jazz, the main attraction of some of the greatest musical albums albums ever (Kind of Blue, The Birth of Cool, Bitches Brew) and a personal surivor of drug addiction. Of course, this is Miles Davis.

In a time where R&B and Rock were dominating the airwaves only a few men stood and made their own niche, and Davis was one of them. He single handedly changed the way we listened to Jazz. "Kind of Blue" is one of the only albums which i can truly consider a work of an artist. "So What" is a jazz, catchy tune. Yet it's later in the album with tracks like "Blue in Green" and "Flamingo Sketches" that the evocative sense of loneliness takes true form. It's so breathtaking that one listen alone with render it invaluable to any listener.

Other albums like "Birth of Cool" pronounce the Decleration of INdependence from swing and the new movement towards the small jazz bands headed by revolutionaries like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and Davis later on.

Davis' band amoung others produced a musician by the name of John Coltrain, but more of him at a later date.

Davis' trumpet is like Goodman's clarinet or Sinatra's vocal chords, they speak of truth and pain and glee.

It would be entirley inapropriate of me if I had never meantioned him. Later on: Duke Ellington.

Davis probably was the most influential jazz musician of the Fifties and Sixties (although Coltrane ran him a good second). We had "Sketches of Spain" and practically wore off the grooves.
In the early Sixties, we regularly saw jazz at the Village Gate and Village Vanguard in NYC. Saw many greats, including Dizzy, Nina Simone, MJQ, Eric Dolphy, Monk, etc. Alas, never saw Miles.

Yet again Sully, you produce another column hit!

Miles Davis was one of a kid, truely an icon for his time and music. At least he got mentioned with honor in Michael Mann's COLLATERAL.

Well I'm just glad that some folks responded to my thread. Indeed, from the early 1950's to the 1970's Davis was at the edge of jazz innovation.

I'd love to of been able to see him in a jam session around the time of "Kind of Blue". Wow, what a band he had setduring that time.