Miles Davis

Trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and one of the most important figures in jazz music history, and music history in general. Davis adopted a variety of musical directions in a five-decade career that kept him at the forefront of many major stylistic developments in jazz. Winner of eight Grammy awards.

Born: 26 May 1926 in Alton, Illinois, USA.
Died: 28 September 1991 in Santa Monica, California, USA (aged 65).

Best known for his seminal modern jazz album "Kind Of Blue" (1959), the highest selling jazz album of all time with six million copies sold.

Miles went to NYC to study at the academic school for musicians, where he met Charlie Parker. They started playing together from 1945. In 1948 Miles Davis started to make his own ensembles, at that time he met Gil Evans, The Miles Davis Nonet was born. From the few recordings they made in 1949 to 1950 came the album "Birth Of The Cool" (1957), with Davis and Evans going on to work more together in the future.

Miles Davis was one of the musicians who introduced the 'Hard Bop' in the mid 1950s. In the late 1960s he started to experiment with electronic instruments and rock and funk rhythms. In the mid 1970s he stopped playing because of health problems, though in 1980 he made an 'electronical' comeback.

Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 (Performer). Winner of Eight Grammy Awards.

He married dancer/actress Frances Taylor Davis on December 12, 1959; they divorced in 1968. He then married singer Betty Mabry in September 1968; they divorced in 1970. He then married actress Cicely Tyson on November 26, 1981; they divorced in 1989. Father of Cheryl Davis & Erin Davis. Uncle of Vince Wilburn, Jr.