Reviews

• すばらしい自伝ですね

  とてもおもしろい本でした。トランペッターのマルサリスが「ジャズは日本人にはわからない」と言ったそうですが、マイルス・デービスは「できるだけ多くの人に聴いてもらうために（わかってもらうために）演奏している」って言うのは、同感です♪

• 読み応えのある物語

  自叙伝を読む醍醐味は、その書き手の息吹を感じるところにある。この点でマイルズデイビスの自叙伝は秀逸だ。 この本の魅力は、ジャズトランペッターとしてあまりにも有名な彼の人生をなぞることができる、というのはもちろんのこと、その歯に衣を着せぬ語り口を通して見えてくる、彼の音楽交遊録だ。ジュリアード音楽院を卒業しているマイルスは、音楽家としての自分を強く意識していたようだ。その中で音楽を媒介としてさまざまなミュージシャンとの交流のなかで、どういう時代に、何を考えながらトランペットを吹きつづけたのか、という事が活き活きと伝わってくる。音楽、政治、社会など、様々なことに対して「ファイター」という姿勢を保ち、時代の先頭を走りつづけたマイルズの葛藤こそが、この本のその中心であり、最大の魅力ではないかと思う。

• できれば原書を読みましょう

  スナークさんのおっしゃるように、トループ苦心の口述筆記を味わいましょう。難しいことは言ってない（音楽理論のところ以外）し、黒人英語ってのがどのようなものか、かなり分かります。辞書にない用法が頻出するし下品な単語も豊富（？）ですが、読み進むうちに分かってきます。badがgoodと同じでmotherfuckerが誉め言葉だなんて、これを読むまで知りませんでした！ マイルスの生涯を彩る数々の「伝説」が本人の口から語られるのが貴重。それ以上に興味深いのはサッチモのにやにや笑いや黒人女性たちの自信のなさの理由を分析しながら、アメリカ黒人の置かれていた状況を述べているくだり。友人だったマックス・ローチあたりと比較して社会的発言の少なかったマイルスですが、はっきり意識していたんでち?ね。 マイルス、あるいはジャズに興味のない人には馴染みのない登場人物が多くて退屈かも知れません。しかし（30～80年という）時代を知るには好適の書です。

• 素晴らしい。

  評価が遅くなり申し訳ございません。迅速な配送で、とても良好な状態の書籍を受け取ることができました。

• Miles autobiography - a must read for all people interested in jazz - L'autobiografia di Miles Davis - consigliata

  A very interesting story of half a century of jazz from an insider. A sincere and unapologetic (and often opinionated) account of the life of Miles Davis and for extension of about a half century of jazz, starting from the 40s (bebop era) to the 80s. Davis tells about his approach to music and his attempt not to be stuck on the past, he also doesn't try to hide his lows (there are many highs too) and gives us a very interesting account of the racial problems affecting afro-american jazzmen in the American society. A must read not only for all people interested in music (jazz or otherwise) but also as an account of the social aspects involved. La storia di Miles Davis e per estensione di mezzo secolo di Jazz da parte di uno dei suoi protagonisti. Un racconto sincero and senza scuse (a volte anche supponente) della sua vita, dagli anni Quaranta (l'era del bebop, di cui fu uno dei principali esponenti) fino agli anni Ottanta. Davis racconta il suo approccio alla musica e la sua volontà di non restare ancorato al passato, non nasconde alti e bassi della sua vita e come il problema razziale abbia influenzato la vita dei jazzisti afro-americani. Una lettura consigliata a tutti gli amanti della musica (jazz e non) anche per i risvolti sociali affrontati.

• Muy bueno

  Posiblemente una de las mejores autobiografías que he leído. Describe muy bien a una persona.

• Great

  Great book for Miles lovers

• the life of a musician warts and all

  Reading many of the reviews here for this book I was surprised about how many did not like ti because they turned out not to like Miles Davis as a person. His apparent cursing, his attitudes, his doings, his views of women, his attitudes to race and and much more. So these reviews judge miles Davis himself rather than the book. I absolutely loved to read it. Most people would come across and to Miles Davis because of his music, me included. So I approached this with the desire to find out more about the man and his life. From that point of view it is a very good read and will give you an excellent insight into not only Miles Davis's life, but all the other musicians, the general attitudes and mores of the time periods (from the 1920ies to the late 80ies. He describes in considerable details the musicians he worked with (very early on in his musical life CHOOSE to work with in his own bands) and why he worked with them. He goes into detail about their styles, touches on most of their lives and backgrounds. So in that sense he paints a very tangible picture of his musical world. As other mentioned (and were negatively touched by) his language is as frank and to the point as his character must have been. Transcribing taped interview sessions formed the basis of this book (did anyone think Mr Davis spent years at the typewriter or computer with it???? ;), so its style is colloquial and often there is always a sense of him speaking the words to you. This is expressed in the Word choices and sentence constructions. Motherf***er and other succulent expletives abound, but not as many think because he hates everything or everybody or feels the constant need to put people down, but - at least I believe so - because that is simply part of the language idiom. Thing called BAD are really EXCELLENT, and said mother f***er is often synonymous for DUDE, MAN, FRIEND, etc. Of course, if you read this book solely to analyse Miles Davis's personality and judge him on that - you WILL find that he had a tendency to be a recluse, a no-nonsense man 140% focused on his music and his music alone, with everything else coming second to that: personal relationships with women (of which he had more than many), family, kids, parents, friends, etc. He was judgemental, opinionated and strict in his live and his attempt to remain true to his vision (or what he calls DEMONS) of music. But what would you prefer - a man who made the music like he did, revolutionising and regenerating the genre at regular intervals during his career of 50 or so years, or someone who, well, would not be talked about (or listened to) at all, because he tried to manage his work - life balance like any other office worker? I know MY answer to that question. And another thing to keep in mind is that artists - in all fields of art - that work up on a level as he did WILL make HUGE sacrifices for their art. Sacrifices that to the normal eye will look inconceivable, pointless, hurtful to others, seemingly utterly counterproductive and even self destructive. So let's not worry too much about that aspect of Miles Davis, but celebrate what he managed to bring to us in terms of his achievements and music. That is what he will be remembered for for a very long time. A great book, a great insight.

• Authentic voice.

  Fabulous read ...refreshingly written. He writes a compelling narrative and the words come alive , electric leaping off the page. Such a generous spirit and truely on a mission. Authentic talent and the spirit of the times is captured seemingly without effort. His pride in himself and as a witness of all the racial overtones and undertones of the times. Vital book I found myself following this lead after reading Princes autobiography/ biography. So happy to have followed the lead.

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