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Miles Davis Tracing the innovations of Miles

in his path to Modal Jazz

A Miles Overview

•  1949 – 1950: The Birth of the Cool and Cool Jazz

•  1954: Walkin’ and Hard Bop

•  1957 – 1960: Sessions with Gil Evans

•  1959: Kind of Blue and Modal Jazz

•  1963 – 1967: The 2nd Quintet and Post-bop (Free Bop)

•  1969: Bitches Brew and Jazz Fusion

•  1980s: Jazz and Pop Fusion leads to Smooth Jazz

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Early Miles Miles in the afterglow of Bebop

Early history

•  1945: Moved to New York •  To study Classical music at Julliard

•  Dropped out to work with Parker and Dizzy

•  Replaced Dizzy in Parker’s band

•  1949 to 1950: The Birth of the Cool sessions •  Invented / pioneered Cool Jazz

•  1951 to 1954: Semi-retirement •  Largely over his drug abuse

•  Jazz press declared his career dead

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The 1st Quintet

•  1954: Triumphant return •  Strong Hard Bop influence (despite Miles’ “Cool” style)

•  Introduced John Coltrane: tenor sax

•  Introduced the Harmon Mute

•  Huge critical success

•  Leapt to a major label

•  Repertoire •  Tin Pan Alley show tunes

Reorganization

•  1957: disbanded the quintet •  Due to drug use of his sidemen

•  Gil Evans collaborations •  Miles Ahead, Porgy & Bess and Sketches of Spain •  Miles soloing with an exotic orchestra

•  Led to film scores, experiments in simplicity

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Modal Jazz Jazz meets impressionism

Modal Jazz

•  Around 1957: Miles began working with a new sound •  Pioneered by George Russell in the early 50’s

•  Jazz impressionism •  Scales and “colors” more than chords

•  Slow harmonic rhythm: pace of chords

•  Personal style emphasized…originality is key

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Kind of Blue

•  1958: Miles released Kind of Blue •  The 1st Quintet adding:

•  “Cannonball” Adderley (1928 – 1975) •  The greatest of the post-Bird alto saxophonists

•  Pioneer of Soul Jazz: a groove-driven branch of Hard Bop

•  Bill Evans (1929 – 1980) •  Highly thoughtful, inventive pianist

•  Renowned for his free-playing 60s trio

•  Quartal harmonies: chords built on 4ths

•  A record featuring only Modal Jazz

•  Huge commercial and critical hit

The 2nd Quintet

•  1958 to 1963: Miles’ band rapidly changed

•  1963: a band of young innovators •  Tony Williams: drums

•  Ron Carter: bass

•  Herbie Hancock: piano

•  Wayne Shorter: tenor & soprano sax

•  Created (another) new style: Post Bop (aka Free Bop) •  Miles called it “Time, no changes”

•  Improvised form and chords, but swinging and melodic