Miles Davis

E.S.P.

Miles Davis · 1965

Miles Smiles

Miles Davis · 1967

The Second Great Quintet of 1964–68. Each member had independent careers, but together they fundamentally reinvented how jazz treated time.

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

Miles's 1969–70 studio experiments fused rock's rhythmic sensibility with jazz improvisation. Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 layered McLaughlinJohn McLaughlinジョン・マクラフリン, CoreaChick Coreaチック・コリア, HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック, and others in simultaneous collective improvisation.

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

In two marathon sessions in May and October 1956, MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス recorded enough material for four Prestige albums in two days. He was about to move to Columbia — fulfilling a contract obligation — but what remained was some of the most essential jazz ever captured.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 (1959) was recorded almost entirely at sight. MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス showed musicians only the skeletal structures beforehand — no one knew what they were playing until the day. Bill EvansBill Evansビル・エヴァンス's liner notes defined how to hear the record.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

When the Heart Emerges Glistening

Ambrose Akinmusire · 2011

When the Heart Emerges GlisteningWhen the Heart Emerges GlisteningAmbrose Akinmusire · 2011 (2011) announced Ambrose AkinmusireAmbrose Akinmusireアンブローズ・アキンムシーレ as a new-generation Blue Note voice. His trumpet — capable of whisper and explosion in the same phrase — carried an aesthetic fundamentally different from the power of Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス or Freddie.

October 1967, Stockholm. One of the very few proper video documents of the Second Great Quintet. 'Agitation,' 'Footprints,' and ''Round Midnight' bleed into each other, and you can literally see how the four of them collectively own the time.

— Miles Davis Quintet — Stockholm 1967, 1967

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス called Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル 'the most underrated piano player in the business.' Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル's use of space — silence between notes — directly influenced how Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス approached his own playing and arranging.

— Miles: The Autobiography, Miles Davis, 1989

Tony WilliamsTony Williamsトニー・ウィリアムス joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's second great quintet at age 17. His elastic tempos, beat displacement, and dramatic dynamic swings fundamentally rewrote what a rhythm section could do.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

Brazilian percussionist Airto MoreiraAirto Moreiraアイアート・モレイラ joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's electric band in 1970 and contributed to the Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 sessions, pioneering the incorporation of Brazilian elements into jazz. Together with his wife Flora Purim, he became a central figure in the American jazz-fusion scene.

— Miles: The Autobiography, Miles Davis, 1989

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス gathered over twenty musicians in August 1969 and, paired with Teo Macero's tape editing, transformed jazz from "recorded performance" to "constructed recording." Bitches BrewBitches BrewMiles Davis · 1970 launched jazz-rock fusion.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Jimmy CobbJimmy Cobbジミー・コブ is the sole drummer on Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 (1959), playing all five tracks. Replacing Philly Joe JonesPhilly Joe Jonesフィリー・ジョー・ジョーンズ in the transitional period between Miles's first and second great quintets, he brought a lighter, more swinging approach.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Marcus MillerMarcus Millerマーカス・ミラー first played on Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's 1981 comeback album The Man with the Horn as a session bassist. Five years later, Miles asked him to produce Tutu (1986), on which Miller played nearly every instrument — bass, keyboards, guitar, drum programming. The sideman became the producer.

— Tutu (Miles Davis album)

You're Under Arrest

Miles Davis · 1985

Human Nature

Michael Jackson · 1982

Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス covered Michael JacksonMichael Jacksonマイケル・ジャクソン's 'Human Nature' on his 1985 album You're Under Arrest. During the session, his longtime drummer Al Foster refused to play a pop song, walked out of the studio, and never came back — ending their collaboration. Miles defended his choice: 'Why can't Human Nature be a standard?' The original melody began as a tune Toto's Steve PorcaroSteve Porcaroスティーヴ・ポーカロ wrote for his daughter after she came home crying from school.

— Miles Davis Covers Michael Jackson's 'Human Nature' — Open Culture

'the archbishop of players'

Miles's description of Wayne in his autobiography. The creative compass of the Second Great Quintet.

Miles: The Autobiography

1989

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'Miles taught me how to turn a mistake into an opportunity'

During his time with the Miles Davis Quintet (1963–68). Based on the well-known episode where Miles turned Herbie's 'wrong' chord into part of the music.

Possibilities

2014

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"Miles told us: there are no wrong notes. It's what you do with them next that matters."

Hancock recalled this lesson from the Second Great Quintet years in his memoir.

Possibilities

2014

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'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

From 1955–60, ColtraneJohn Coltraneジョン・コルトレーン played with MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス while searching for his own voice. The 'sheets of sound' style emerged in this period. MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス criticized him but never fired him.

— John Coltrane: His Life and Music, Lewis Porter, 1998

August 14, 1993, Newport Jazz Festival. Full concert by John ScofieldJohn Scofieldジョン・スコフィールド. Official Music Vault recording. By this point John ScofieldJohn Scofieldジョン・スコフィールド had developed his own guitar vocabulary after his years with Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス (1982–85).

— Newport Jazz Festival, 1993

May 2, 2023, NPR Tiny Desk. Kenny GarrettKenny Garrettケニー・ギャレット's Sounds From The Ancestors. A culmination of his exploration toward African roots, following his years with Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス.

— NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, 2023

Ron CarterRon Carterロン・カーター holds the Guinness World Record as the most-recorded jazz bassist in history, with over 2,221 recording credits as of 2015. His tenure in Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's second great quintet (1963–68) remains the most celebrated chapter of his career.

— Ron Carter earns world record as the most recorded jazz bassist in history, Guinness World Records, 2016

E.S.P.

Miles Davis · 1965

E.S.P.E.S.P.Miles Davis · 1965 (1965) was the first studio album by Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's Second Great Quintet. Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター emerged as music director, presenting a new compositional vocabulary on "Iris," "ESP," and others.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Nefertiti

Miles Davis · 1968

On the title track of NefertitiNefertitiMiles Davis · 1968 (1967), the Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス/Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター front line repeats a single melody while the rhythm section improvises around them — an inverted approach that was avant-garde for its time.

— Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter, Michelle Mercer, 2004

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

In just two days (May and October 1956), Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's quintet marathon-recorded four albums including Cookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetCookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis · 1957. Squeezed between his Prestige contract ending and his Columbia move, those sessions became hard bop's reference point.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

Cannonball AdderleyCannonball Adderleyキャノンボール・アダレイ joined Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's band in October 1957, forming a twin front line with Coltrane. The 1958 album MilestonesMilestonesMiles Davis · 1958 was the first studio statement from this sextet and signaled the imminent move toward modal jazz.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis · 1959

Cannonball AdderleyCannonball Adderleyキャノンボール・アダレイ recalled being shown Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's sketches only on the day of the Kind of BlueKind of BlueMiles Davis · 1959 sessions. His joyous blues sensibility on 'Freddie Freeloader' and 'All Blues' provided a vivid contrast to John ColtraneJohn Coltraneジョン・コルトレーン's introspection.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Miles Davis · 1957

'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Philly Joe JonesPhilly Joe Jonesフィリー・ジョー・ジョーンズ held the drum chair in Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's first great quintet from 1955 to 1958. Miles famously said he wouldn't hire a band without Philly Joe, and the drummer's drive is preserved on Cookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetCookin' with the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis · 1957.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

'Round About Midnight

Miles Davis · 1957

Milestones

Miles Davis · 1958

Red GarlandRed Garlandレッド・ガーランド's piano was distinguished by his trademark shift from right-hand single-note lines to two-handed block chords. His solos on 'Round About Midnight'Round About MidnightMiles Davis · 1957 and MilestonesMilestonesMiles Davis · 1958 showcase that formal beauty at its best.

— So What: The Life of Miles Davis, John Szwed, 2002

In spring 1958 Red GarlandRed Garlandレッド・ガーランド left Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス over disputes about pay and repertoire, and Bill EvansBill Evansビル・エヴァンス took his place. The swap proved decisive in preparing the modal sound that would soon define the band.

— Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece, Ashley Kahn, 2000

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

The title track of In a Silent WayIn a Silent WayMiles Davis · 1969 (1969) was a meditative chorale Joe ZawinulJoe Zawinulジョー・ザヴィヌル brought to Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス. Miles stripped the chords from the lead sheet, leaving only melody — pre-figuring the ECM aesthetic.

— In a Silent Way, Wikipedia, 2024

Ahmad JamalAhmad Jamalアーマッド・ジャマル's 1958 Chicago recording of "Poinciana" on But Not for Me directly shaped Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's thinking about space and silence. In JazzTimes he called his trio a "chamber orchestra," writing bass and drums as counterpoint rather than accompaniment.

— It Feels Like I'm Walking History, JazzTimes, 2017

Decoy

Miles Davis · 1984

John Scofield joined Miles Davis's band in 1982 and stayed about three and a half years. His first studio appearance was on Star People (1983), followed by writing and guitar contributions to Decoy (1984) and You're Under Arrest (1985).

— John Scofield, Wikipedia, 2024

"There are no wrong notes. It's what you do with them next that matters." Herbie HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック learned this from Miles DavisMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス in the Second Great Quintet. When Hancock played a 'wrong' chord, Miles turned it into part of the music.

— Statement stmt-hancock-improvisation

"Miles said he learned silence from my playing. That is an honor." — Ahmad Jamal on MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス, who often directed his band members to listen to Jamal.

— Statement stmt-0013

"Miles taught me how to turn a mistake into an opportunity." — Herbie Hancock on MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's quintet (1963–68), where Miles famously turned a "wrong" chord into part of the music.

— Statement stmt-0016

"There are no wrong notes. It's what you do with them next." — HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック recalled this lesson from MilesMiles Davisマイルス・デイヴィス's Second Great Quintet in his memoir.

— Statement stmt-hancock-improvisation

In his autobiography Miles Davis wrote that he was crazy about Ahmad Jamal's use of space and told his band to go listen to him. The supposed lone innovator openly credited a lesser-known pianist for teaching him the use of silence, rooted in Jamal's 1958 'But Not for Me.'

— Statement stmt-0013

In the 1960s Miles Davis Quintet, Herbie Hancock once played a "wrong" chord behind a solo. Instead of treating it as an error, Miles played notes that made the chord sound right — teaching Hancock that a mistake is not something to correct but a door into what comes next.

— Statement stmt-0016

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

Joe Farrell Quartet

Joe Farrell Quartet · 1970

Just as Bitches Brew (1970) pushed Miles Davis's electric music to its peak, his own rhythm players Chick Corea and Dave Holland walked out — turning an off-hours trio into Circle, a free, near-atonal group, rather than chasing the fusion market.

— Statement stmt-dave-holland-on-chick-corea

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

Struck By Lightning

Airto Moreira · 1989

The call came not from Herbie himself but from Tony Williams: Miles Davis wanted Chick Corea in Baltimore in 1968 because Herbie Hancock couldn't make the date. Corea's seat at the piano began as a one-night fill-in — and became the core of Miles's electric period.

— Statement stmt-chick-corea-on-miles-davis-2

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In a Silent Way

Miles Davis · 1969

Joe Farrell Quartet

Joe Farrell Quartet · 1970

Dave Holland and Chick Corea, who had played on Bitches Brew, walked out of Miles Davis's band at its peak. 'Dave and I could both see Miles wanted to go a different rhythmic way,' Corea said — and the way they went was not more electric fusion but the free-improv group Circle.

— Statement stmt-chick-corea-on-dave-holland

You Won't Forget Me

Shirley Horn · 1991

Stung around age 20 by critics who called him soulless, Wynton Marsalis later waved off comparisons to Miles Davis: don't, he said — Miles came up in blues bands, and he hadn't. The standard-bearer of the tradition conceding he lacked the older man's blues roots.

— Statement stmt-wynton-marsalis-on-miles-davis

Deciphering the Message

Makaya McCraven · 2021

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

In the Beginning

Woody Shaw · 1965

E.S.P.

Miles Davis · 1965

Ron Carter — now the most-recorded bassist in jazz — was an Eastman student with a 1950 Ford. After a Rochester gig, Miles Davis, Red Garland and Paul Chambers had no ride to the station, so he packed them into the car and drove them there. The future master was just the kid with wheels.

— Statement stmt-ron-carter-on-paul-chambers-2

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

In 1969, Miles Davis showed up to the Bitches Brew sessions with only sketches and a few bass patterns — no charts. He set the tempo in the room and, when a take wasn't right, stopped it and had the band try something else. What sounds like a fully composed suite was steered into being on the spot, drummer Jack DeJohnette recalls.

— Statement stmt-jack-dejohnette-on-miles-davis-2

Decoy

Miles Davis · 1984

Star People

Miles Davis · 1983

You're Under Arrest

Miles Davis · 1985

Music From Siesta

Miles Davis / Marcus Miller · 1987

When John Scofield joined Miles Davis's band in November 1982, it left two guitarists standing in the lineup. By Scofield's account, Miles liked putting two players of the same instrument together to make them compete — deliberately building the kind of redundancy most bandleaders take pains to avoid.

— Statement stmt-john-scofield-on-miles-davis

Amandla

Miles Davis · 1989

Live - From His Last Concert In Avignon

Miles Davis · 1996

Kenny Garrett spent five and a half years in Miles Davis's band, and says he never once received a spoken instruction. Whatever phrase Miles played, Garrett played back — a call-and-response built entirely from what happened on stage, never from words.

— Statement stmt-kenny-garrett-on-miles-davis

Live-Evil

Miles Davis · 1971

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis · 1970

Black Is The Color

Joe Henderson · 1972

Tales from the Hudson

Michael Brecker · 1996

Drummer Jack DeJohnette, who played in Miles Davis's early-1970s electric bands alongside Chick Corea and Dave Holland, once said their improvising would go to "totally ecstatic" places — until Miles stepped back in and pulled everything back to a single center. The band's apparent freedom, in other words, actually orbited Miles himself.

— Statement stmt-jack-dejohnette-on-chick-corea

'a sound like crystal notes or sparkling water cascading down from some clear waterfall'

Miles's description of Bill Evans's sound, recounted in his autobiography.

Miles: The Autobiography

1989

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'Miles said he learned silence from my playing. That is an honor.'

On Miles Davis's well-documented admiration for Jamal's playing. Miles often directed his band members to listen to Ahmad Jamal.

JazzTimes

It Feels Like I'm Walking History

2017

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God gave Miles the title of Head Clinician at this laboratory.

Describing the Miles Davis Quintet as a laboratory and Davis's role in it.

I think playing with Miles, with Dave Holland, Chick Corea and Wayne was a very exciting period. We always couldn't wait to get on the bandstand to see what kind of mischief we could get into.

Recalling his two-to-three years in the Miles Davis band, 1968-70.

Miles had some sketches and bass patterns. He'd ask me, "play a groove, play this," and he'd count off a tempo and if that wasn't it he'd say, "No, that's not it!" and he'd say to try something else.

On how Miles Davis directed him in the studio during the 1969 Bitches Brew sessions.

He was a unique genius, a master improviser, 100% original composer but an original that had come through the most incredible tradition of the music and kept moving forward, just as Miles Davis did.

Answering a question about whether jazz has lost its great personalities, describing Wayne Shorter.

I was just trying to realise Miles Davis' vision for what he wanted to do, as we all were and that was primarily in my mind when we did the recording.

Asked whether he anticipated the impact of Bitches Brew while recording it.

Miles had directions that he was looking to move in. But he looked very much into the musicians to fill in those spaces.

Describing how Miles Davis led his band during Holland's two years in the group.

I'd started on a project with Chick Corea and Barry Altschul. We'd been playing as a trio at times when Miles wasn't working.

Explaining how leaving Miles Davis led to the trio that became Circle when Anthony Braxton joined.

That shows what a good guy Mike is. But I really think Miles liked to get two guys on the same instrument and have them compete in the band.

Recalling how he joined Miles Davis's band in November 1982 alongside Mike Stern, creating a two-guitar front line.

Bill Milkowski

Happy Birthday, John Scofield!

2025-12-26

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He was a brilliant strategist at getting the music out there, but still playing what he considered great, and important jazz music, because he loved that.

On Miles Davis as a star who transcended jazz.

R.J. Marx

An Interview with John Scofield, Part 2

2025-02-08

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He was a great composer, and simplicity was his thing; he had the balls to write songs like 'So What' and the second 'Milestones' and 'Jean Pierre,' which was in our band's book when we played with Miles.

Assessing Miles Davis as a composer, in the context of covering one of his tunes.

Lee Mergner

John Scofield: From a Rock Kid to a Jazz Guy

2025-12-26

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All musicians who loved jazz loved Miles. He could be very difficult and mercurial and all that but he was also very funny.

Looking back on his three years in Miles Davis's band, 1982-85.

He was a genius arranger. So everything that Miles touched, of course, sounds like Miles.

On Miles Davis's genius as an arranger of other people's material.

Tony was the one who called me up for the gig. He said, "Miles wants you to come to Baltimore. Herbie can't make it."

Corea recalls how Tony Williams's phone call brought him into Miles Davis's band, replacing Herbie Hancock.

When Dave and I saw that Miles was wanting to go in a different direction rhythmically and so forth, there was the parting of the ways.

Corea on why he and Dave Holland left Miles Davis, which led to the free-improvisation group Circle.

Chick and Dave would go to a lot of frenetic places. Then, when Miles came back, everything would galvanize, come back to a center.

DeJohnette on how Corea and Holland ranged wildly on the bandstand until Miles returned and pulled the music back to a center.

You don't compare my playing to Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong. They grew up playing in blues bands.

In 1991, looking back on early reviews that said he played without soul.

Academy of Achievement

Wynton Marsalis Interview

1991-01-08

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During the course of the evening conversation after the concert, Miles and Red Garland and Paul had no way to get to the train station from the concert. I had a 1950 Ford, and so I piled them in my car and took them to the train station.

As a senior at Eastman, Carter drove the Miles Davis band to the train station after a concert in Rochester.

When I played with Miles, he would play a line and I would play the line back. He never told me to do that.

On how the call-and-response with Miles Davis emerged during his five-and-a-half years in the band.

WDET

Mic Check: Detroit native Kenny Garrett brings a lifetime of music experiences to the DSO stage

2024-02-20

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I always told people that I understood Miles when I was in his band, but I understand him even more now.

Reflecting on how his understanding of Miles Davis deepened after leaving the band.