Miles Davis, born in Alton, Illinois and raised in a middle-class family in East St. Louis, started playing the trumpet at 13 years old and began performing professionally. During his teenage years, he played with his high school band and joined Eddie Randall and the Blue Devils. A pivotal point in Davis’ musical journey was when he had the opportunity to hear the Billy Eckstine orchestra perform while they were in St. Louis.
Davis enrolled at Juilliard in September 1944 with the intention of studying there, but his interest shifted towards spending time on 52nd Street in New York City. Consequently, he made the decision to leave school. One of Davis’ primary motivations for moving from East St. Louis to New York was to attend school and meet his musical idol, Charlie Parker. Between 1945 and 1948, Davis had the opportunity to perform with Parker both live and on recordings. In 1948, he established his own group and collaborated with Gil Evans, an arranger. Unfortunately, his career was temporarily derailed by a heroin addiction; nonetheless, he continued making recordings with other noteworthy bop musicians.
1955 marked the year of Miles Davis’ breakthrough where his performance of “Round Midnight” at the Newport Jazz Festival caught the attention of critics, signaling his return. Davis formed a quintet consisting of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, and John Coltrane. In 1957, Davis began a series of solo recordings featuring unconventional jazz orchestrations by Gil Evans. Additionally, he also composed music for films directed by Louis Malle.
In 1963, a new quintet was formed by Davis which included Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter. During the late 1960s, Davis collaborated with various skilled musicians. Unfortunately, in the mid-70s, he had to retire due to serious illnesses and a car accident. However, in 1980 he made a comeback through the release of fresh albums and expensive tours. Recognizing his extensive accomplishments, Davis was bestowed an honorary doctorate of music from the New England Conservatory in 1986.
Despite facing negative criticism for adopting sometimes unpopular styles of music, Davis playing Incorporated many styles, from bop to modal fusion. Nevertheless, he is highly regarded for his role in pushing jazz music to newer and more creative heights, distinguishing him as one of the few jazz musicians who consistently pursued innovation.
The musical events Miles Davis created during his so-called electric period (1969-1975) are characterized by constant exploration and a fearless attitude towards breaking conventions and relying on past safety nets. The music is rebellious, defying genre definitions, and its intense nature cannot be easily categorized. Miles’ music during this five-year period is unique and unlike any that came before it, remaining original, progressive, and difficult to accurately describe even 30 years later.
It’s no wonder that Miles lost a significant portion of his loyal audience when he transformed into an electric experiment. This new music dared to integrate the energetic and powerful rawness from rock and funk, shedding its jazz sound. This music disregards boundaries and refuses to conform to any set place. Not only is it multicultural, but it also pushes further by being often unpleasant, aggressive, harsh, masculine, eerie, and seemingly without form. Similar to Miles Davis’ career, which is characterized by continuous growth and renewal, he has progressed and left his previous self behind in the past decade.
This music cannot be utilized as background music and is distinct from Miles’ previous 30 years of music. It requires attentiveness and carries a militant and arrogant demeanor. At times, it is more a demonstration of audacity and an assertion of complete independence rather than a delightful canvas to evoke dreams.
The dream is no more. All the romantic ballads and pleasurable entertainment are now part of history. With this sound, he signifies a new reality and creates a fresh musical vocabulary. He no longer has the luxury to spend time making things beautiful and acceptable. The urgency expressed does not conform to conventional community standards that emphasize prettiness, but it does encompass elements of beauty, richness, and soothing qualities. However, the context that encompasses all these elements has undergone a radical transformation, incorporating aspects of ugliness and brutal emotions.
This music is filled with a fiery energy and a sense of validation. It may not always succeed as public art, but it elicits a wide range of emotions that were previously suppressed and conforming. As a collection of songs, this era of music is of the utmost quality, with no regard for pleasing the audience or conforming to their expectations.
Despite criticism that Miles was selling out to the rock market, this music is more authentic than anything before. While the combination of musical genres may be a matter of personal preference, its intention to explore, express, and rejoice in new emotional territory cannot be doubted.
For 20 years, the records from Miles Davis’ prolific period have been difficult to find, often available only as expensive CD imports from Japan. However, Columbia/legacy has now released five double CD sets that allow us to reassess and catch up with this era of Miles Davis’ musical evolution. These sets primarily feature live recordings and are beautifully packaged, with improved design compared to other recent Miles box set reissues. The sets also include photo spreads that showcase the visual drama of these musical events. Additionally, the package includes appreciative liner notes written by musicians who played in the bands or are closely connected to the music, enhancing the overall sensual and intellectual pleasure of the experience.
On the earliest of the dates, Black Beauty and At Fillmore, Miles Davis leads the band through much of the material that had recently been recorded in the studio as Bitches Brew. These live interpretations stretch out with their cracked appropriation of the dance groove of James Brown, sounding more jagged and lacking the bounce and palette of subtle coloration of the studio versions. Seemingly out to show something to this new younger crowd, Miles Davis playing an open horn is powerful and masculine. He puts everything he has into his long solo essays, opening his soul to lengthy and thorough examination.
The jarring and unpleasant sound and timber of Chick Corea’s electric piano is a revelation. His playing, with its eager chord sequences that reconfigure vamps into startling voicings and his solo runs, pulls the group into new directions, towards a conception that is freer than before. The sound still remains within the orbit of a chordal structure but is less reliant on the traditional faith in harmony and melody.
Live-evil captures Miles live at The Cellar Door in Washington, D.C. and in the studio from 1969 to 1970, featuring an assortment of musicians. This particular record is possibly the most cohesive and comprehensible out of the five new packages, although it doesn’t quite reach the same level of intense fire grooves as the other sets. In concert, Live at the Philharmonic Hall marks another step in Miles’ ongoing evolution. At this point, jazz-based musicians have all been replaced with funk musicians, resulting in a more focused and groove-driven group sound.
Former Stevie Wonder bassist Michael Henderson provides a stable foundation with his simple and repetitive bass patterns amidst the chaotic sounds of the electric instruments. His subtle changes in rhythm and melody guide the ensemble into different musical explorations. Miles Davis, on the other hand, adds an element of melancholy with his muted trumpet playing, which intertwines with the African tribal-like music to create a sense of incantation and deep meditation on human spirit mysteries. Despite using various effects and intense energy, Dark Magus ultimately captures Miles’ trademark ability to evoke moods, atmospheres, and emotions. In this particular piece, these elements combine to form one of 20th century music’s darkest and most extreme compositions.
Encountering these sets leaves one with vivid recollections, as the melodies and solos linger in the mind long after they have been heard. The declarations punctuate everyday experiences, conveying contemplative sorrow explored by Miles Davis through his music. This exploration is not often conveyed, understood, or willingly accepted but effectively arouses and illustrates deeper emotions that many of us are familiar with. These emotions have never before been expressed in such an exposed yet dignified and passionate manner.
“Not to seem ungrateful to Columbia/legacy for the gift of these treasures,” Teo Macero remarks, “but there is a growing demand among fans of this music for unedited versions of this material.” According to Macero, the post-production editing benefited Miles Davis by highlighting his presence, but it also eliminated numerous solos from the other band members and cut out developmental sections. “In other words, we want to hear for ourselves what the producers claim they are protecting us from,” Teo states.
For a future re-issue, Columbia should consider restoring the entire sets and providing a four CD package. Additionally, we should have the complete live sets, except for those excluded from Live-Evil. These moments are crucial in Miles’ progression, and the music from these nights deserves to be heard by the public. The vast number of Miles fanatics are eager to spend the necessary funds.
Miles Davis displayed exceptional talent and a unique ability to continuously evolve, in addition to his playing and fostering of excellent talent. While many jazz musicians usually establish their style early on and spend the rest of their careers refining it, Davis stood out by consistently forging ahead every five years or so. Due to his restless nature, he not only played bop but also played a role in the creation of cool jazz, hard bop, modal music, his own unconventional style of the avant-garde, and fusion.
Without Miles Davis, the jazz genre would have a completely different outlook. Despite having the option to retire in 1960 and still maintain a respected status in jazz history, Davis continued to accomplish numerous significant achievements. Tragically, he passed away at the age of 65 in 1991, resulting in an irreplaceable void within the world of jazz.
