Miles Davis: An introduction to the 'Prince of Darkness'
A life marked with innovation and experimentation
Last updated 29th Jun 2020
One of the most influential and acclaimed figures in music and jazz, trumpeter Miles Davis' career spanned over five decades, many musical styles and he recorded for some of the biggest jazz labels.
How did Miles Davis become famous?
Miles established his professional playing career with the bebop giants Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker in the 1940s. After setting up his own band and delving into the cool jazz style, with his famous Birth of the Cool sessions, he begun to record with Columbia records in the late 1950s.
Which are Miles Davis' most famous albums?
His work with Columbia saw him record many of his greatest works, all displaying different musical flavours. Some of his great recordings with Columbia includes 'Round About Midnight' (1957), 'Porgy and Bess' (1959), 'Sketches of Spain' (1960), 'Bitches Brew' (1970) and 'Kind of Blue' (1959) - which you can read about in our Exploring... series.
His many influential albums also featured other jazz giants, including Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter.
Which genres did Miles Davis play?
Whether playing bebop, cool jazz, hardbop, modal jazz, fusion, electronic, rock and even pop (towards the end of his career), Miles' life was marked with innovation and experimentation. It's hard to understate his importance and the legacy he left within the jazz world.