Miles Davis

E.S.P.

Miles Davis · 1965

Miles Smiles

Miles Davis · 1967

The Second Great Quintet of 1964–68. Each member had independent careers, but together they fundamentally reinvented how jazz treated time.

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

Miles's 1969–70 studio experiments fused rock's rhythmic sensibility with jazz improvisation. Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 layered McLaughlinJohn McLaughlinジョン・マクラフリン, CoreaChick Coreaチック・コリア, HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック, and others in simultaneous collective improvisation.

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

In two marathon sessions in May and October 1956, MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス recorded enough material for four Prestige albums in two days. He was about to move to Columbia — fulfilling a contract obligation — but what remained was some of the most essential jazz ever captured.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 (1959) was recorded almost entirely at sight. MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス showed musicians only the skeletal structures beforehand — no one knew what they were playing until the day. Bill EvansBill Evansビル・エヴァンス's liner notes defined how to hear the record.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

When the Heart Emerges Glistening

Ambrose Akinmusire · 2011

When the Heart Emerges GlisteningWhen the Heart Emerges GlisteningAmbrose Akinmusire · 2011 (2011) announced Ambrose AkinmusireAmbrose Akinmusireアンブローズ・アキンムシーレ as a new-generation Blue Note voice. His trumpet — capable of whisper and explosion in the same phrase — carried an aesthetic fundamentally different from the power of Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス or Freddie.

October 1967, Stockholm. One of the very few proper video documents of the Second Great Quintet. 'Agitation,' 'Footprints,' and ''Round Midnight' bleed into each other, and you can literally see how the four of them collectively own the time.

— Miles Davis Quintet — Stockholm 1967, 1967

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス called Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル 'the most underrated piano player in the business.' Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル's use of space — silence between notes — directly influenced how Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス approached his own playing and arranging.

— Miles: The Autobiography, Miles Davis, 1989

Tony WilliamsTony Williamsトニー・ウィリアムス joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's second great quintet at age 17. His elastic tempos, beat displacement, and dramatic dynamic swings fundamentally rewrote what a rhythm section could do.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

Brazilian percussionist Airto MoreiraAirto Moreiraアイアート・モレイラ joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's electric band in 1970 and contributed to the Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 sessions, pioneering the incorporation of Brazilian elements into jazz. Together with his wife Flora Purim, he became a central figure in the American jazz-fusion scene.

— Miles: The Autobiography, Miles Davis, 1989

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス gathered over twenty musicians in August 1969 and, paired with Teo Macero's tape editing, transformed jazz from "recorded performance" to "constructed recording." Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 launched jazz-rock fusion.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Jimmy CobbJimmy Cobbジミー・コブ is the sole drummer on Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 (1959), playing all five tracks. Replacing Philly Joe JonesPhilly Joe Jonesフィリー・ジョー・ジョーンズ in the transitional period between Miles's first and second great quintets, he brought a lighter, more swinging approach.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Marcus MillerMarcus Millerマーカス・ミラー first played on Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's 1981 comeback album The Man with the Horn as a session bassist. Five years later, Miles asked him to produce Tutu (1986), on which Miller played nearly every instrument — bass, keyboards, guitar, drum programming. The sideman became the producer.

— Tutu (Miles Davis album)

You're Under Arrest

Miles Davis · 1985

Human Nature

Michael Jackson · 1982

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス covered Michael JacksonMichael Jacksonマイケル・ジャクソン's 'Human Nature' on his 1985 album You're Under Arrest. During the session, his longtime drummer Al Foster refused to play a pop song, walked out of the studio, and never came back — ending their collaboration. Miles defended his choice: 'Why can't Human Nature be a standard?' The original melody began as a tune Toto's Steve PorcaroSteve Porcaroスティーヴ・ポーカロ wrote for his daughter after she came home crying from school.

— Miles Davis Covers Michael Jackson's 'Human Nature' — Open Culture

'the archbishop of players'

Miles's description of Wayne in his autobiography. The creative compass of the Second Great Quintet.

Miles: The Autobiography

1989

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'Miles taught me how to turn a mistake into an opportunity'

During his time with the Miles Davis Quintet (1963–68). Based on the well-known episode where Miles turned Herbie's 'wrong' chord into part of the music.

Possibilities

2014

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"Miles told us: there are no wrong notes. It's what you do with them next that matters."

Hancock recalled this lesson from the Second Great Quintet years in his memoir.

Possibilities

2014

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'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

From 1955–60, ColtraneJohn Coltraneジョン・コルトレーン played with MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス while searching for his own voice. The 'sheets of sound' style emerged in this period. MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス criticized him but never fired him.

— John Coltrane: His Life and Music, Lewis Porter, 1998

August 14, 1993, Newport Jazz Festival. Full concert by John ScofieldJohn Scofieldジョン・スコフィールド. Official Music Vault recording. By this point John ScofieldJohn Scofieldジョン・スコフィールド had developed his own guitar vocabulary after his years with Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス (1982–85).

— Newport Jazz Festival, 1993

May 2, 2023, NPR Tiny Desk. Kenny GarrettKenny Garrettケニー・ギャレット's Sounds From The Ancestors. A culmination of his exploration toward African roots, following his years with Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス.

— NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, 2023

Ron CarterRon Carterロン・カーター holds the Guinness World Record as the most-recorded jazz bassist in history, with over 2,221 recording credits as of 2015. His tenure in Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's second great quintet (1963–68) remains the most celebrated chapter of his career.

— Ron Carter earns world record as the most recorded jazz bassist in history, Guinness World Records, 2016

E.S.P.

Miles Davis · 1965

E.S.P.E.S.P.Miles Davis · 1965 (1965) was the first studio album by Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's Second Great Quintet. Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター emerged as music director, presenting a new compositional vocabulary on "Iris," "ESP," and others.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Nefertiti

Miles Davis · 1968

On the title track of NefertitiNefertitiMiles Davis · 1968 (1967), the Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス/Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター front line repeats a single melody while the rhythm section improvises around them — an inverted approach that was avant-garde for its time.

— Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter, Michelle Mercer, 2004

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

In just two days (May and October 1956), Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's quintet marathon-recorded four albums including Cookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetCookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis · 1957. Squeezed between his Prestige contract ending and his Columbia move, those sessions became hard bop's reference point.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

Cannonball AdderleyCannonball Adderleyキャノンボール・アダレイ joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's band in October 1957, forming a twin front line with Coltrane. The 1958 album MilestonesMilestonesMiles Davis · 1958 was the first studio statement from this sextet and signaled the imminent move toward modal jazz.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Cannonball AdderleyCannonball Adderleyキャノンボール・アダレイ recalled being shown Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's sketches only on the day of the Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 sessions. His joyous blues sensibility on 'Freddie Freeloader' and 'All Blues' provided a vivid contrast to John ColtraneJohn Coltraneジョン・コルトレーン's introspection.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Philly Joe JonesPhilly Joe Jonesフィリー・ジョー・ジョーンズ held the drum chair in Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's first great quintet from 1955 to 1958. Miles famously said he wouldn't hire a band without Philly Joe, and the drummer's drive is preserved on Cookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetCookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis · 1957.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

Red GarlandRed Garlandレッド・ガーランド's piano was distinguished by his trademark shift from right-hand single-note lines to two-handed block chords. His solos on 'Round About Midnight'Round About MidnightMiles Davis · 1957 and MilestonesMilestonesMiles Davis · 1958 showcase that formal beauty at its best.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

In spring 1958 Red GarlandRed Garlandレッド・ガーランド left Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス over disputes about pay and repertoire, and Bill EvansBill Evansビル・エヴァンス took his place. The swap proved decisive in preparing the modal sound that would soon define the band.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

The title track of In a Silent WayIn a Silent WayMiles Davis · 1969 (1969) was a meditative chorale Joe ZawinulJoe Zawinulジョー・ザヴィヌル brought to Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス. Miles stripped the chords from the lead sheet, leaving only melody — pre-figuring the ECM aesthetic.

— In a Silent Way, Wikipedia, 2024

Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル's 1958 Chicago recording of "Poinciana" on But Not for Me directly shaped Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's thinking about space and silence. In JazzTimes he called his trio a "chamber orchestra," writing bass and drums as counterpoint rather than accompaniment.

— It Feels Like I'm Walking History, JazzTimes, 2017

Decoy

Miles Davis · 1984

John Scofield joined Miles Davis's band in 1982 and stayed about three and a half years. His first studio appearance was on Star People (1983), followed by writing and guitar contributions to Decoy (1984) and You're Under Arrest (1985).

— John Scofield, Wikipedia, 2024

'a sound like crystal notes or sparkling water cascading down from some clear waterfall'

Miles's description of Bill Evans's sound, recounted in his autobiography.

Miles: The Autobiography

1989

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'Miles said he learned silence from my playing. That is an honor.'

On Miles Davis's well-documented admiration for Jamal's playing. Miles often directed his band members to listen to Ahmad Jamal.

JazzTimes

It Feels Like I'm Walking History

2017

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