Miles Davis

422,439 listeners (9,331,344 plays)

Alton, Illinois (1926 – 1991)

Miles Dewey Davis III (May 25, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was born in Alton, Illinois and was one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century. A trumpeter, fluegelhorn player, bandleader and composer, Davis was at the forefront of almost every major development in jazz after World War II.

Along with Charlie Parker & Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis is one of the most important individuals in jazz. He took a lead role in the formation of cool jazz, and later modal composition, which took the shape of free-bop with his “Second Great Quintet.” That group disbanded slowly as Miles embarked on a jazz-rock style known as fusion. Prior to his 5 year retirement, Miles also branched into music concrete & funk.

Kind of Blue is Davis’ best-known work. However, Bitches Brew, when released, was Davis’s best seller and was the biggest-selling jazz album of all time up to that point. Other milestones include Birth of the Cool, Sketches of Spain, Miles Smiles, In a Silent Way, On the Corner & Agharta.

More dynamic stylistically than perhaps any single performer in the last 50 years, Miles’ music can be seen as paving the way for ambient music (see the ode to Ellington,

He Loved Him Madly), hip-hop (with On the Corner), the jazz-rock meeting (all his fusion work), and more.

1	So What full track	2,941
2	Blue in Green full track	2,136
3	Freddie Freeloader full track	1,989
4	All Blues full track	1,933
5	Flamenco Sketches full track	1,584
6	Flamenco Sketches (Alternate take) full track	899
7	Move full track	771
8	Budo full track	730
9	Jeru full track	713
10	Moon Dreams full track	706
11	Summertime full track	647
12	'Round Midnight full track	643
13	Boplicity full track	606
14	Pharaoh's Dance full track	583
15	Godchild full track	577

Top Albums

Kind of Blue
Miles Davis
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Birth of the Cool
Miles Davis
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Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
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Sketches of Spain
Miles Davis
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comunero_clash wrote:
5 hours ago

A marvelous song.

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DucaDAuge wrote:
Sunday afternoon

Vote for Miles!

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rakshasa07 wrote:
Saturday morning

If you hate the new last.fm's version. JOIN! http://www.last.fm/group/Bring+back+the+old+Last.fm

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redrum84 wrote:
Friday evening

Bring back the old Last.fm over 4,000 members since yesterday!

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magnus3994 wrote:
7 days ago

Kind of Blue = legendary record.

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Availuablename wrote:
9 days ago

The first album I heard also was "Tutu". Not really comparable to his earlier works, but the electronic sound got me interested. "Kind of Blue" and "Bitches Brew" are truly classic albums to me. The great thing of his music is that Miles Davis never lost control over his abilities, his playing never goes over the top in pointless show-off. He sure is able, yet never exaggerates. A genius of music!

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SYL2Oh wrote:
9 days ago

There is something pathetic and ironic in the life and work of Miles Davis. While it has dominated the jazz world for nearly half a century, his music was first an expression of deep sadness...

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DetroitSoulJazz wrote:
9 days ago

Hello everyone, if you like Miles Davis electric fonky period from 1968 to 1976, you should definitely join the group "Electric Miles" at http://www.last.fm/group/Electric+Miles and contribute to improving our charts with groovy music, whether it is jazz or anythin' else. Keep on steamin!

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theshredmaster wrote:
10 days ago

One of my favourite musicians.

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Justin1983 wrote:
14 days ago

Cool... Yeah, ya know Tutu was the first Miles album I heard, which is really odd... I can't listen to it or any of his '80s stuff nowadays, because it's too much like smooth jazz for my taste, personally speaking... But I do make an exception for We Want Miles--that's a great live album, regardless of how you look at it (and it's not like smooth jazz) =)

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v11v11v wrote:
16 days ago

My top Miles albums (after Justin1983 and Korubi below): 1. On The Corner, 2. Dark Magus, 3. E.S.P., 4. Bitches Brew, 5. In A Silent Way, 6. Birth of the Cool, 7. Live at Filmore, 8. Jack Johnson, 9. Tutu, 10. Decoy.

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paris_atlantis wrote:
18 days ago

he still live

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sypsays wrote:
18 days ago

In my Top 10: one of the best film soundtracks of all time--Miles Davis's Ascenseur pour l'echafaud (Elevator to the Gallows, director Louis Malle) from 1957. Film noir jazz at its best. http://www.last.fm/music/Miles+Davis/Ascenseur+Pour+L%27Echafaud

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BlooDaXis wrote:
20 days ago

Metal is just noise and screaming into a microphone

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intheblueroom wrote:
21 days ago

Tunes of life! ;-)

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mysznis wrote:
22 days ago

PURE PERFECTION

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didgeridoo-fm wrote:
last month

IIIIIIII LLLLOOOOVEEEEE HHHHHHHHIIMMMMMMM! RRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSPECT!!!!!!!!

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blurandtv wrote:
last month

Does anyone know what version of "Half Nelson" is used in the trailer of "Half Nelson" at the start...or is it even Miles Davis or "Half Nelson" at all? If someone can help me find that song, I'd be very grateful! Thanks in advance.

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speedy15 wrote:
last month

We have deviant music tastes! Bite us¡ ...yes, there is some deviance in this group, not at the top of the charts though. Welcome!

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dabigcheeze wrote:
last month

Bitches Brew was the first jazz album i ever listened to; not just Miles, but jazz in general. On first listen i thought i'd got the wrong album, i was like "this isn't jazz." And it's not really, it's something much better

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kowi663, oneiris and MeralPolat tagged Miles Davis with ‘jazz’. 2 hours ago
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