Back in the late 1940’s after the end of WWII, music took a radical turn. The war years had made it all but impossible to sustain a big band; outfits were fragmenting into smaller units. At the same time, music education and the development of new modes and techniques were re-shaping the aural landscape. An unpredictable genius with other-worldly abilities stepped into the picture; Charlie (Bird) Parker was the bridge from the big-band era to bebop and modal-jazz.
One of three trumpeters who played in Parker’s groundbreaking quintets was an edgy, brilliant young man just out of his teens, from an upper-class family in Alton, Illinois. Even in the beginning years Miles Davis had a signature sound – an icy, dark tone that still stands on its own 60+ years later. In retrospect, what was equally amazing was the way Miles idolized his boss; everything Bird did or said was scripture for young Miles. Perhaps only after a nearly five decade career being the fiercely iconoclastic, vitriolic trendsetter; altering the course of modern music over and over again - can we wonder what it was about Charlie Parker that obsessed Miles...
After Bird, Davis formed a nonet featuring West-Coast innovator Gerry Mulligan, as well as players that would establish themselves as giants later in the ‘50s. The record released in 1951, “Birth of the Cool” was just that – central a/c for a world that had been relying on fans. A newly adopted modal approach to the music featuring solos from the various instruments took composing and playing into a new realm; it may not have seemed so to the average listener at the time, but the possibilities were endless.
In 1955 Miles formed the first of two history making quintets, featuring John Coltrane on tenor-sax, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Establishing a tradition that would carry on through numerous outfits over several different eras; each member of the band became an icon and went forward to become a legend in their own right. The quintet recorded a half-dozen records (four over a two day period) which became models for the hard-bop revolution. If you’ve ever visited a Starbucks, then you’ve probably heard selections from these sessions.
The 50’s ended with the modal masterpiece “Kind of Blue” – in many opinions (my own) the pinnacle of recorded music; forty-five minutes of eternity. Contributing to the writing and arrangements and playing piano on two of the tracks, this is the record that brought attention to Bill Evans, who later went on to become an institution in modal composition, and led one of the most influential trios in history.
At around this time (the late ‘50’s) Miles began exploring and incorporating the motifs of late era French and Spanish composers, Ravel, Satie, Debussy, Rodrigo and deFalla into his palette. Working with close friend and arranger Gil Evans, Davis cut several “jazz” records using an orchestra including the immortal “Sketches of Spain.”
After a short-lived line-up featuring soon-to-be famous Wynton Kelly and Hank Mobley, Davis formed his second great quintet – arguably the most potent combination of players in a small group setting the world has ever known. Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams all achieved legendary status within the modern musical landscape which can still be seen and heard today. With the success of his earlier groups and “Kind of Blue” being the first jazz album to go gold, Miles was now front and center – clearly shaping the waves of music to come.
Beginning with “E.S.P”, released in ’65, the second quintet was creating music of a completely different order. Largely composed and arranged by musical director Wayne Shorter (who Miles had sought for years, finally stealing him from former alumni Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers) the records of the late 60’s have a dark, haunting and extremely human feel. It can be seen that every phase of Miles’ career set a template for the generations to come – the influence of the second quintet is alive and well today and can be heard in current releases by Dave Douglas, Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Wallace Roney, Orbert Davis, and the list just goes on. There is something tricky and mysterious, yet so open about these records that there is no danger of the ideas and possibilities being exhausted in this or any foreseeable generation.
Perhaps 1969 was the watershed year for modern music as we understand it today. This was the year of Woodstock, the peak of the super-group era – most of the key players who became legends were all still here on planet earth. The mass corporatization of modern music loomed just around the bend of the decade – by the end of the 70’s stadiums would play host to the music scene. This was the year when Miles, who had already gone a long way to alienate himself from “the scene” while being at the center of it, crossed the line, wiped away the last boundary, and in a lot of perspectives “broke the code” by going electric. The ’68 release “Miles in the Sky” had given fair warning; Herbie Hancock debuted the Fender Rhodes on this record; George Benson made his recorded entrance on electric guitar...
“In a Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew” from the following year seemed to wipe the slate clean – a new sound for a new age. Deeply influenced by the guitar sound of Jimi Hendrix and the funk of James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone as well as the Latinized jam-band Santana (who toured with Miles the following year) the sound on these albums was an amalgam of seemingly everything that had come before. If this sounds like an impossibly dense, overwhelming experience –it is. With the tireless efforts of Columbia producer Teo Macero, the Miles Davis recordings of ’69-’70 stand as some of the most powerful, complex statements in the realm of electric music. The players in these outfits became the forefathers of the coming age of fusion and post-bop – John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Keith Jarret, Airto Moriera, Jack DeJonnette and Dave Holland are examples of the musical forces that went on to shape the soundscape from the ‘70s to the present.
In 1975 Miles went into retirement, secluding himself not only from the music scene but almost everyone for nearly six years. Suffering health problems and dealing with ongoing drug dependency seemed to pale in the face of what to do next.
In 1981 he went back into the studio and recorded the spooky, furiously funky “The Man With the Horn”, following up with a series of records introducing some of the key players to come up in the next generation – John Scofield, Mike Stern, Kenny Garrett, Al Foster, Marcus Miller and others who carried the Miles torch into the ‘80s and beyond.
The naysayers from the previous decade were justified – the music had changed. Electronics were commonplace in all modern music genres, and this was largely due to the influence of Miles. What was proven was that music, culture and technology cannot be separated; the elements will sooner or later find their ways together – the protest against Miles going electric was a conservative plea for standing still.
Incorporating the funk/rock sounds of the ‘70s with motifs and colors from the work he did with Gil Evans within the setting of ‘80s studio technology, Davis never looked back. As any true fan will tell you: if you don’t dig what Miles was about from ’69 forward – there were still several world-shaking eras from before, documented on dozens of recordings. From the tenderest ballads, modern chamber and orchestral scores to lightning-speed hard-bop, deep-groove funk, hip-hop and the heaviest of metal there is something in the MD catalogue to complement every mood for everyone at any given cultural point.
There is no dearth of biographical material about who many consider to be the father of modern music. Miles Davis had a bold, spectacular and often scandalous persona – the archive of stories and anecdotes by and about him are enough to fill a library. A great place to start is his autobiography, co-penned with Quincy Troupe and issued in 1990, the year before he died, simply titled “Miles.” “Miles” is a comprehensive history of his career interlaced with anecdotes and juicy, often hilarious stories involving other giants from the golden era of jazz; but the reason to read the book is the voice behind it. Having shunned interviews throughout his epic career, this is when Miles finally spoke freely to the masses; his intensity, rage and humor jump from the pages, making this one of the great music bios of all time.
So, for those of you whippersnappers who think this was the music of an age passed; good enough for Grandpa but without relevance - check it again. The movie you just saw may have had music on the soundtrack...The latest break-beat or dance craze surely has roots in... In short, if you listen to rock, soul, funk, R&B, modern chamber, hip-hop or blues you’re hearing Miles Davis.
Scott Cramer - Scott lives in Chicago and is an insufferable know-it-all on certain topics. He writes fiction (primarily short stories) much of which ...
