Nice article about Miles

Set Avatar · #1 07-14-2006, 08:05 PM

I liked the incident at Julliard.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...GKSJQLGC75.DTL

johnofphilly · #2 07-15-2006, 08:25 AM

My stupid browser can't pick it up. Miles not unlike Frank was a master of the ability to reinvent himself. (We are most likely referring to Mr. Davis. Unless the article is about Buddy Miles; probably not.)

Gregory · #3 07-15-2006, 12:18 PM

That's a nice article on Miles Davis. "He didn't play the trumpet like a trumpet, he played it like a voice,''... so true.

Set Avatar · #4 07-15-2006, 01:28 PM

Playing his "Porgy and Bess" album now...you really hear it here.

Set Avatar · #5 07-15-2006, 01:33 PM

The following caught my eye:

Quote:

He developed an understated trumpet style that focused on feeling and nuance (he cited Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole and Orson Welles' voice as influences).

Set Avatar · #6 07-15-2006, 01:48 PM

I don't know enough about music to say for sure, but I wonder if sharing the stand with Dizzy Gillespie early on didn't encourage him to move in the direction of feeling and nuance.

johnofphilly · #7 07-16-2006, 02:04 PM

The teacher at Juilliard was an embarrassing example of the justified putdown - "when you can't, teach". Her superficial ignorance speaks volumes about Juilliard's reputation of resting upon its laurels. Freddie Mercury went to Juilliard; never cared much for his melodrama. Perry King went to Juilliard studying under John Houseman. I like Perry, but don't see him as exceptional.

I love the Bay Area of yesteryear, when musicians of all sorts, including Miles, lived there in great numbers.

Set Avatar · #8 07-16-2006, 02:23 PM

They're trying to restore the music to the Fillmore district by declaring it a jazz center, or some such nonsense...some thirty years after forcing the poor blacks out of the area in the name of "Urban Renewal".

They really should consider calling it "The Windham Hill Center".

taylorjy · #9 07-17-2006, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quelkin

I don't know enough about music to say for sure, but I wonder if sharing the stand with Dizzy Gillespie early on didn't encourage him to move in the direction of feeling and nuance.

Absolutely. I think his experience in Bird's quintet led him to realize that he was not a bopper in the sense of Charlie Parker or Diz. By no means does he embarrass himself on those early recordings (but can't really compete with Parker), but fortunately for us he would later invent himself (many times, actually) and discover the sound you describe on Porgy & Bess.

Edwin · #10 02-04-2010, 09:27 AM

There are several biographies and an autobiography of Miles Davis. All of them that I've seen include statements he made about Frank Sinatra and Frank's influence on his work. I'm looking at "Miles Davis, the Definitive Biography" by Ian Carr. Here's one quote from Miles: "I learned to phrase years ago from Frank Sinatra. I still go to see him, still go backstage and talk to him."