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Miles Davis

マイルス・デイヴィス

Miles Davis

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1926-05-26 （Alton, Illinois, U.S.）
Died
1991-09-28 （Santa Monica, California, U.S.） age 65
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Religion
Agnostic
Residence History
East St. Louis, Illinois → New York City (Manhattan) → Paris, France → Santa Monica, California, U.S. → Upper West Side, New York City

Career

Occupations
Musician, Bandleader, Composer
Active Years
1944-1991
Affiliations
Miles Davis Quintet, Birth of the Cool (nonet), Charlie Parker Quintet (former member)
Memberships
Sovereign Military Order of Malta (honorary), NEA Jazz Masters (honorary)
Influenced By
Charlie Parker, Elwood Buchanan, Gil Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans
Influenced
John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Quincy Jones, Brian Eno (influence on ambient music)

Education

Juilliard School
Period: 1944–1945（在籍、学位取得なし）
Country: United States
Attended but did not complete a degree

Awards

Grammy Award (Best Jazz Composition of More Than Five Minutes Duration)
1960
Work: Sketches of Spain
Category: Best Jazz Composition of More Than Five Minutes Duration
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Award (Best Jazz Performance, Large Group)
1970
Work: Bitches Brew
Category: Best Jazz Performance, Large Group
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Award (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist)
1982
Work: We Want Miles
Category: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Award (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist)
1986
Work: Tutu
Category: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Award (Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist)
1989
Work: Aura
Category: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
1990
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞
Grammy Award (Best R&B Instrumental Performance)
1992
Work: Doo-Bop
Category: Best R&B Instrumental Performance
Organization: The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
Result: 受賞（死後発表）
Léonie Sonning Music Prize
1984
Organization: Léonie Sonning Music Foundation
Result: 受賞
Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
1991
Organization: French Government
Result: 受章
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2006
Organization: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Result: 殿堂入り（追贈）

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kind of Blue

1959 Modal jazz / Jazz

A landmark album built on modal theory and improvisation. One of the most influential jazz records, selling millions of copies in the U.S.

modal improvisationuse of spacerestrained expression

Bitches Brew

1970 Jazz fusion / Experimental jazz

A defining electric-period record incorporating rock, funk and studio techniques. It achieved commercial success and helped spur jazz fusion.

electric instrumentationrhythmic densityfusion of improvisation and studio editing

Birth of the Cool

1957 Cool jazz / Nonet arrangements

A compilation of sessions for a nine-piece group that helped define cool jazz, characterized by vocal-like phrasing and orchestral textures.

arrangement-focusedvocal-like phrasingcareful orchestration

In a Silent Way

1969 Jazz fusion / Electronic elements

A turning point into electric, space-oriented sound. Long pieces were assembled from multiple takes using studio editing techniques.

electric approach and editingspatial sonicssustained textures

Tutu

1986 Contemporary jazz / Pop-influenced

An 1980s studio-driven album using programming and production, notable for strong commercial recognition and collaboration with Marcus Miller.

studio productionuse of synthesizersblend of commercial and experimental

Bibliography

  • Kind of Blue (1959)
  • Bitches Brew (1970)
  • Birth of the Cool (1957)
  • In a Silent Way (1969)
  • Tutu (1986)
  • Doo-Bop (1992, posthumous)

Adaptations

  • Miles Ahead (film, 2015)
  • The Miles Davis Story (documentary, 2001)
  • Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (documentary, 2019)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, restrained phrasing as a performerDistinctive sound using mutes (e.g. Harmon mute)Use of studio editing as a compositional tool
Recurring Motifs
use of spacemodal playingcross-genre experimentation (jazz → rock/funk/electronic)

Health

  • Heroin / substance addiction
    1950年代前半に最も深刻、1954年以降回復
    Severely affected playing and life in early 1950s; he later recovered and returned successfully
  • Vocal cord polyps / vocal damage
    1955（手術・その後の喉への負傷で声がかすれた）
    Left a permanently raspy voice; limited direct impact on trumpet playing
  • Diabetes (requiring insulin)
    1980年代以降
    Affected general health and mood
  • Intracerebral hemorrhage (final stroke)
    1991年9月（入院→脳出血→死亡）
    Led to coma and death after life support was removed in 1991
  • Pneumonia and respiratory failure
    1991年（死因の一部）
    Contributed to death alongside the stroke

Legacy

Miles Davis is regarded as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, directly involved in developments from cool jazz and hard bop to modal jazz and jazz fusion. Critical views vary by period, but his innovation and influence remain highly respected.

Museums

  • Miles Davis Jazz Studies Collection University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)

Academic Societies

  • NEA Jazz Masters (associated)

Archives

  • Woodlawn Cemetery (gravesite)

In Popular Culture

  • Biopic 'Miles Ahead' (2015) and multiple documentaries
  • 'Kind of Blue' is celebrated as a national treasure in the U.S. and continues to influence generations of musicians

Quotes

  • By the age of 12, music had become the most important thing in my life.
    Source: Autobiography (Miles: The Autobiography) (1989)
  • I prefer a round sound with not too much vibrato, like a round voice in the middle.
    Source: Interviews / recollections

Trivia

  • His gravestone is inscribed with the opening notes of one of his compositions ('Solar').
  • He popularized the use of the Harmon mute, creating a distinctive tone.
  • 'Kind of Blue' has sold over five million copies in the U.S. (RIAA certification).