Miles Dewey Davis III or better known as Miles Davis was one of the most influential and legendary jazz artist of the twentieth century. The jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer contributed to the jazz music genre with his beautiful, smooth and soul-touching music, making people experience some of the purest jazz of all time. This phenomenal artist had a remarkable journey and music career while adopting a vast array of musical directions, delivering awe-inspiring and mesmerizing melodies. With an ear attuned to music and melody in his soul, Miles Davis had an amazing five-decade career, and his music impacted and influences jazz through time.
Born to an affluent African-American family in Alton-Illinois, Davis was raised in East St. Louis with his older sister and younger brother. His mother was a music teacher and violinist while his father was a dentist. Music entered his life at a very young age and he was introduced to the trumpet when his father gifted him one at the age of thirteen. Gradually he started to hone and polish his skills and alongside began performing in local bands. He took music lessons from Elwood Buchanan, whom he calls his biggest influence in life. Elwood was a patient and friend of his father. Eventually, Davis left Illinois for New Your City, where he enrolled at the Juilliard School for further education. However later he dropped out in the pursuit of becoming a professional jazz musician.
Davis started his professional musical career as a member of the saxophonist Charlie Parker’s bebop quintet. And soon he proceeded to record ‘Birth of The Cool’ for Capitol Records. This collection of fantastic melodies was later considered as one of the most significant contributions to modern and cool-jazz music. Then in the early 1950s, Davis recorded some of his most unique and amazing hard-bob jazz while he was on Prestige Records, but sadly he had developed a heroin addiction. However, Davis made a remarkable comeback and signed a long term contract with Colombia Records and recorded his album ‘Round About Midnight’ in 1957. This spectacular album features him with other legendary artists such as saxophonist John Coltrane and bassist Paul Chambers. This led to the creation of a strong music band comprised of John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, and Red Garland. David recorded several amazing albums with his sextet like ‘Kind of Blue’ which sold over two million copies, now considered as one of the greatest jazz albums ever.
Over time Davis continued to hone his skills and continued creating mesmerizing music. Throughout the 1960s his music band evolved and grew constantly, which lead to the creation of some of the most amazing jazz music, and it shaped and influenced the jazz we know today. During the 1970s he experimented with rock and funk, electronic music technology, new and talented musicians, and went on creating spectacular melodies.
Later, after a five-year retirement from his musical career, he came back with the release of albums like ‘The Man with The Horn’ and ‘Tutu’. His music was adored and loved by the masses, earring him love and widespread fame. Davis was truly one of the most legendary jazz musicians that have ever existed and is regarded as the greatest influence to the jazz industry. We are truly lucky to have such amazing music legends that have created some of the purest and best music ever. Jazz is not just a genre of music, it is an emotion and feeling which can only be felt by the soul.
