 |
Miles Dewey Davis, Jr., b. Alton, Ill.,
May 25, 1926, d. September 28, 1991, was a jazz trumpeter,
composer, and bandleader. Davis was one of the most innovative
musicians of the 1960s and '70s, helping to establish several
important jazz styles. Born to a well-to-do black family,
Davis studied at the Juilliard School. He joined Charlie PARKER's
BEBOP band in 1945. In 1949-50 his small jazz group made some
of the first "cool" jazz records, reflecting a departure
from the hard-driving, aggressive bop of Parker. In 1954,
Davis's recording "Walkin'" initiated the hard-bop
style that dominated jazz for several years. In the 1960s
he recorded music that blended rock and jazz elements. His
best-selling album, Bitches Brew (1970), signaled his success
in extending the boundaries of jazz and established a style
that was heavily explored by other musicians throughout the
1970s. In 1981, after a five-year hiatus in his musical activity,
Davis returned to performing and recording. Davis's work in
the 1980s included the soundtrack to the film Siesta (1987),
and Amandla (1989).
Davis played with and influenced many talented young performers--most
notably John COLTRANE--who later became
jazz masters on their own.
 |
 |
|
- 
