There is no doubt that Miles Davis was an extraordinary musician. From the beginning of his career to the end, his character, music, and overall influence on the art has displayed why he was an integral part of the development of jazz music and culture. He played in several groups over the course of his career. Alongside the likes of musicians such as Charlie Parker, Tony Williams, and John Coltrane. Davis’s eclectic style and ever-changing outlook on the art is what pushed him past any obstacles in his way. In this paper, I will explore the various ways in which his music styles have evolved, his involvement with various jazz ensembles, and how his music as a whole has forever influenced and changed the art of Jazz.
Miles Dewey Davis III was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois (Britannica, 2017). He grew up in a middle-class family in East St. Louis, a city with a rich history in blues music which, some would say, influenced his
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It seemed that Miles’s career was on the up, but on his return to New York, Miles grew depressed. This was mainly as a result of his experiences in France, where he discovered that jazz musicians were revered and where he had felt like he was being treated like a human being. He was also missing a woman he had fallen in love with while in Paris, Juliette Greco” (Cole, 2005). Davis eventually became addicted to heroin and struggled with juggling his musical career and his addiction. He quickly slipped into a dark place and his dependence was greatly affecting his work. He soon realized this negative development and he made an effort to free himself from his addiction, eventually stopping in 1954. Although musically, this time period in his life was relatively meager, overcoming his drug addiction sparked a flame that would significantly benefit his musical career in the long