Rumman Kibria

Music 33
Miles Davis, one of many Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, was born on May 26,
1926, in Alton, Illinois. As one of the greatest jazz legends in American history, Davis played
music which consisted of a variety of genres, including modal jazz and jazz fusion. His famous
recording of Kind of Blue in 1959, a hit in the genre, or rather, subgenre called modal jazz, led
to further recognition of his eccentric style of music. Evidently, his work in jazz fusion would
later elicit similar responses from listeners. This is best exemplified in the album, Bitches Brew,
which drew attention to critics as well as fans among the younger generations.
Davis was arguably the most renowned trumpet player in the history of American jazz. Of
course, his role as a successful bandleader was of no lesser value, and his merging of rock
rhythms in the jazz realm was influential to many more great jazz musicians yet to come. In
1945, he attended the Julliard School of Music, and while still in New York, revisited his old
friend and renowned alto saxophonist, Charlie Parker, commonly referred to as Bird. The two
would soon become roommates and Davis would soon become Birds protg, as well as
member of his quintet which held sessions in the Savoy Ballroom. Davis, however, resigned
himself from Julliard, and teamed up with many other leading jazz figures in the future,
including Benny Carter, Billy Eckstine, and Charles Mingus.
It wouldnt be until the end of 1970s that Miles would take a momentary break from his
success in the musical field. In the 40s, he dealt with substance abuse, the particular choice of
drug being heroin, but in the decades which followed, this middle-aged musician fell into a life
of isolation which spurred from a car crash resulting in the loss of his legs and a depressed state
of mind. Of course, Davis, who worked on Bitches Brew around this time, did not want the world
to commemorate him for this period, and after 1975, Davis would be back on his feet with
continual fame and success, until his illness and death in Santa Monica, California, in 1991.