Miles Davis had a sound on the trumpet unlike anyone before or after him. During his career, which lasted from the 40s through the early 90s, he established himself as not only an outstanding bandleader and trumpeter, but one of the innovators of jazz. He has helped develop bebop, modal jazz, progressive big band, avant-garde, jazz-rock, acid jazz, and fusion.
Davis' innovations can be traced all the way back to his days of playing on the bandstand with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Coleman Hawkins. The year of 1949 saw a change in Miles' approach to music. Blue Note Records released "Birth Of The Cool" and this signaled a very different approach to jazz music at that time. It also marked his first meeting with composer/arranger Gil Evans with whom Miles would go on to work with on such notable recordings as "Miles Ahead" and "Sketches Of Spain."
Miles' music can be divided up into two eras: the acoustic and the electric era. I prefer his acoustic era, because it was during this time he played with some of the living legends of jazz music and because for the sake of these articles I'm trying to limit them to bebop only. Some notable Davis bandmates include: Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Cannonball Adderley, Jimmy Cobb, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and the list continues. Miles' influence can be heard in all of these players and everybody else who has been associated or has been touched by his music.
Here is a list of what I consider essential Davis recordings:
Seven Steps To Heaven - 1963 Columbia Records
Miles Ahead - 1957 Columbia Records
Kind Of Blue - 1959 Columbia Records
Sketches Of Spain - 1960 Columbia Records
Porgy And Bess - 1958 Columbia Records
Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Steamin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Cookin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Bag's' Groove - 1954 Prestige Records
Davis' innovations can be traced all the way back to his days of playing on the bandstand with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Coleman Hawkins. The year of 1949 saw a change in Miles' approach to music. Blue Note Records released "Birth Of The Cool" and this signaled a very different approach to jazz music at that time. It also marked his first meeting with composer/arranger Gil Evans with whom Miles would go on to work with on such notable recordings as "Miles Ahead" and "Sketches Of Spain."
Miles' music can be divided up into two eras: the acoustic and the electric era. I prefer his acoustic era, because it was during this time he played with some of the living legends of jazz music and because for the sake of these articles I'm trying to limit them to bebop only. Some notable Davis bandmates include: Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Cannonball Adderley, Jimmy Cobb, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and the list continues. Miles' influence can be heard in all of these players and everybody else who has been associated or has been touched by his music.
Here is a list of what I consider essential Davis recordings:
Seven Steps To Heaven - 1963 Columbia Records
Miles Ahead - 1957 Columbia Records
Kind Of Blue - 1959 Columbia Records
Sketches Of Spain - 1960 Columbia Records
Porgy And Bess - 1958 Columbia Records
Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Steamin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Cookin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet - 1956 Prestige Records
Bag's' Groove - 1954 Prestige Records
Birth Of The Cool - 1949 Blue Note Records
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