Miles Davis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Miles Davis
Davis in his New York City home, c. 1955–56; photograph by Tom Palumbo
Background information
Birth name	Miles Dewey Davis III
Born	(1926-05-26)May 26, 1926 Alton, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 28, 1991(1991-09-28) (aged 65) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician bandleader composer
Instruments	Trumpet flugelhorn cornet piano electric organ
Years active	1944–1975 1980–1991
Labels	Capitol Prestige Columbia Fontana Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Miles Davis Quintet
Education	Juilliard School
Spouse(s)	Frances Taylor ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1968)​ Betty Mabry ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1969)​ Cicely Tyson ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1989)​

Miles Dewey Davis III (born May 26, 1926 – died September 28, 1991) was a very famous American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is known as one of the most important and respected people in the history of jazz music. Miles Davis explored many different musical styles during his career, which lasted for five decades. This kept him at the forefront of major changes in jazz music.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926, in Alton, Illinois. His family was well-off. He had an older sister, Dorothy Mae, and a younger brother, Vernon. His mother, Cleota Mae Henry, was a music teacher and violinist. His father, Miles Dewey Davis Jr., was a dentist. They owned a large farm in Arkansas where Miles spent many summers.

In 1927, his family moved to East St. Louis, Illinois. They lived in a mostly white neighborhood. Miles's father worked very hard during the Great Depression. Miles went to John Robinson Elementary School and then Crispus Attucks. He was good at math, music, and sports. From a young age, he loved music, especially blues, big bands, and gospel.

The house at 1701 Kansas Avenue in East St. Louis, Illinois, where Davis lived from 1939 to 1944

In 1935, Miles received his first trumpet as a gift. He took lessons from Elwood Buchanan, a teacher and musician who greatly influenced him. Buchanan taught him to play without vibrato (a wavering sound) and to use a clear, mid-range tone. Miles said Buchanan would tap his knuckles if he used too much vibrato. The family later moved to 1701 Kansas Avenue in East St. Louis.

Miles said that by age 12, music was the most important thing in his life. For his thirteenth birthday, his father bought him a new trumpet. Miles began playing in local bands. He also took lessons from Joseph Gustat, the main trumpeter of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

In 1941, at age 15, Miles attended East St. Louis Lincoln High School. He joined the marching band led by Buchanan. He also entered music competitions. Miles later shared that he faced unfair treatment in these competitions because of his race. However, he felt these experiences made him a better musician. He also started learning music theory to improve his playing.

Miles had a band that played at the Elks Club. He used some of his earnings to help pay for his sister's education. He became friends with trumpeter Clark Terry, who also told him to play without vibrato. Miles played with Terry for several years. He also became the musical director for the Rhumboogie Orchestra, which meant hiring musicians and planning rehearsals.

A Legendary Music Career

Tommy Potter, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, Miles Davis, Duke Jordan in August 1947

In September 1944, Miles Davis decided to study at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He passed the audition and took classes in music theory and piano. However, he left Juilliard after three semesters because he wanted to play music full-time. He later said the school focused too much on classical music. But he was thankful for learning music theory and improving his trumpet skills.

Miles Davis started his professional career playing with saxophonist Charlie Parker's bebop group from 1944 to 1948. Soon after, he recorded the Birth of the Cool sessions. These recordings were very important for the development of a new style called cool jazz. In the early 1950s, Davis recorded some of the first hard bop music.

After a successful performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, he signed a contract with Columbia Records. He recorded the album 'Round About Midnight in 1955. This was his first time working with saxophonist John Coltrane and bassist Paul Chambers. They became key members of his group in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

During this time, Miles Davis made orchestral jazz albums with arranger Gil Evans, like Sketches of Spain (1960). He also made famous band recordings such as Milestones (1958) and Kind of Blue (1959). Kind of Blue is one of the most popular jazz albums ever. It has sold over five million copies in the U.S.

Davis changed his band members often. He recorded Someday My Prince Will Come (1961) and Seven Steps to Heaven (1963). These albums introduced new talented musicians like bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, and drummer Tony Williams. In 1964, saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined his new group. They created more experimental music, helping to start the post-bop style with albums like E.S.P (1965) and Miles Smiles (1967).

In the 1970s, Miles Davis started experimenting with rock, funk, and electronic music. This period, starting with In a Silent Way (1969) and ending with Agharta (1975), was very different from his earlier work. Some jazz fans found it surprising.

After taking a break for five years due to health issues, Miles Davis returned to music in the 1980s. He worked with younger musicians and added pop sounds to albums like The Man with the Horn (1981) and Tutu (1986). Even though critics sometimes had mixed feelings, this decade brought him his biggest commercial success. He performed sold-out concerts around the world. He also explored visual arts, film, and television.

In 1990, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, he acted in the film Dingo as a jazz musician. In 2006, Miles Davis was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is recognized as one of the most important musicians of the 20th century.

Personal Life

Miles Davis was married three times. His first marriage was to Frances Taylor, a dancer, from 1959 to 1968. He then married Betty Mabry, a model and songwriter, from 1968 to 1969. Betty introduced him to popular rock, soul, and funk music. His third marriage was to actress Cicely Tyson from 1981 to 1989. Cicely helped him find his passion for music again. In 1984, he met sculptor Jo Gelbard, who taught him how to paint. They often worked on art together.

Davis and Cicely Tyson in 1982

Death and Lasting Impact

Davis's grave in Woodlawn Cemetery, with headstone inscribed with the beginning notes of one of his compositions, "Solar"

Miles Davis passed away on September 28, 1991, at the age of 65. His death was caused by a stroke, pneumonia, and breathing problems.

His funeral was held on October 5, 1991, in New York City. About 500 friends, family, and musicians attended. Many fans also stood outside in the rain. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City, near Duke Ellington's grave. One of his trumpets was buried with him.

Legacy and Influence

World's first statue of Davis, unveiled in 2001, by Grzegorz Łagowski, in Kielce, Poland

Miles Davis is seen as one of the most creative and respected people in music history. He is often called "one of the great innovators in jazz." He was also known as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Picasso of Jazz." Many experts say that his career shows the history of jazz from the 1940s to the 1990s. He was part of almost every important new idea in jazz during that time.

His unique way of playing, which focused on personal expression and interacting with other musicians, had a huge impact on many jazz artists. In 2016, it was found that over 2,400 Wikipedia pages mention Davis, with more than 280 saying he was an influence.

The westernmost part of 77th Street in New York City has been named Miles Davis Way. He once lived on the block.

In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives honored his album Kind of Blue on its 50th anniversary. They also declared jazz a national treasure. The trumpet Miles Davis used on that album is now displayed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The jazz program there is named the Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program.

Miles Davis received many awards during his life and after his death. In 1986, he got an honorary doctorate for his musical contributions. He won eight Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2001, a documentary film about him, The Miles Davis Story, won an International Emmy Award. In 2012, the U.S. Postal Service released stamps honoring him.

A movie about his life, Miles Ahead, was released in 2015. That same year, a statue of him was put up in his hometown of Alton, Illinois. Listeners of BBC Radio and Jazz FM voted Miles Davis the greatest jazz musician.

Awards and Honors

Miles Davis won many awards for his music.

Grammy Awards

Miles Davis won eight Grammy Awards and was nominated thirty-two times.

Other Awards and Recognitions

Discography

This is a list of some of Miles Davis's most important studio albums. You can find a longer list in the main article.

Filmography

Miles Davis also worked on films, sometimes as a composer, performer, or actor.

Images for kids

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  Miles Davis on piano with Howard McGhee (trumpet), Joe Albany (pianist, standing) and Brick Fleagle (guitarist, smoking), September 1947

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  Miles Davis performing in Antibes, France, in July 1963

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  Miles Davis performing in 1971

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  Miles Davis's septet in November 1971; left to right: Gary Bartz, Davis, Keith Jarrett, Michael Henderson, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, James Mtume, and Don Alias

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  Miles Davis performing in 1985

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  Miles Davis performing in Strasbourg, 1987

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  Miles Davis at the North Sea Jazz Festival, 1991

See also

In Spanish: Miles Davis para niños