Public Figure Profiles

Miles Davis

Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. 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.Born in Alton, Illinois, and raised in East St. Louis, Davis left to study at Juilliard in New York City, before dropping out and making his professional debut as a member of saxophonist Charlie Parker's bebop quintet from 1944 to 1948. Shortly after, he recorded the Birth of the Cool sessions for Capitol Records, which were instrumental to the development of cool jazz. In the early 1950s, Davis recorded some of the earliest hard bop music while on Prestige Records but did so haphazardly due to a heroin addiction. After a widely acclaimed comeback performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, he signed a long-term contract with Columbia Records and recorded the album 'Round About Midnight in 1955. It was his first work with saxophonist John Coltrane and bassist Paul Chambers, key members of the sextet he led into the early 1960s. During this period, he alternated between orchestral jazz collaborations with arranger Gil Evans, such as the Spanish music-influenced Sketches of Spain (1960), and band recordings, such as Milestones (1958) and Kind of Blue (1959). The latter recording remains one of the most popular jazz albums of all time, having sold over five million copies in the U.S.

Davis made several line-up changes while recording Someday My Prince Will Come (1961), his 1961 Blackhawk concerts, and Seven Steps to Heaven (1963), another mainstream success that introduced bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, and drummer Tony Williams. After adding saxophonist Wayne Shorter to his new quintet in 1964, Davis led them on a series of more abstract recordings often composed by the band members, helping pioneer the post-bop genre with albums such as E.S.P (1965) and Miles Smiles (1967), before transitioning into his electric period. During the 1970s, he experimented with rock, funk, African rhythms, emerging electronic music technology, and an ever-changing line-up of musicians, including keyboardist Joe Zawinul, drummer Al Foster, and guitarist John McLaughlin. This period, beginning with Davis's 1969 studio album In a Silent Way and concluding with the 1975 concert recording Agharta, was the most controversial in his career, alienating and challenging many in jazz. His million-selling 1970 record Bitches Brew helped spark a resurgence in the genre's commercial popularity with jazz fusion as the decade progressed.After a five-year retirement due to poor health, Davis resumed his career in the 1980s, employing younger musicians and pop sounds on albums such as The Man with the Horn (1981) and Tutu (1986). Critics were often unreceptive but the decade garnered Davis his highest level of commercial recognition. He performed sold-out concerts worldwide, while branching out into visual arts, film, and television work, before his death in 1991 from the combined effects of a stroke, pneumonia and respiratory failure. In 2006, Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which recognized him as "one of the key figures in the history of jazz". Rolling Stone described him as "the most revered jazz trumpeter of all time, not to mention one of the most important musicians of the 20th century," while Gerald Early called him inarguably one of the most influential and innovative musicians of that period.

Sol turns thousands of years of human wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions into a totally unique personality profile. To get your own profile, check compatibility with friends and much more, download the Sol App today.

Some of their strengths

Miles Davis has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Intelligent, Charming, Passionate, Communicative, Intense, and Independent.

Charming and Quick-witted

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Miles Davis is someone who is a charming, quick-witted, and energetic person who combines passion and intelligence with an ability to feel what others are feeling and to effectively communicate with them. A person who looks for jobs that tend to reflect their identity.

Adaptable and Versatile

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Miles Davis well know them as someone who can be adaptable, flexible, and polite, like a flower or a sapling.

Active and Ambitious

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Miles Davis as someone who is active, ambitious, bold, and courageous.

A person who is driven and organized, is wise with money, who knows how to tell a good story, likes physical activity, and who loves learning.

Vigorous and Friendly

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Miles Davis is someone who has a vigor and energy that applies itself to all life's activities and endeavors, and a knack for forming family-like structures, groups, and communities.

They are also someone who is charismatic, compassionate, and understanding, and who is interested in expressing themselves through writing, public speaking, or teaching.

Logical and Reasonable

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Miles Davis tends to be someone who is understanding, logical, and reasonable. Who can be intellectual and intuitive, speak the truth at any cost, be witty and sociable, and live life to its fullest.

Some of Miles Davis's challenges

While Miles Davis has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Miles Davis can be Impulsive, Pleasure-seeking, Hypocritical, Self-centered, Complicated, Brusque, and Stubborn.

Hypocritical and Self-centered

One of Miles Davis's key challenges is that they are someone who can be perceived as hypocritical and self-centered.

Miles Davis must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic.

Impulsive and Aggressive

Miles Davis is someone who can be impulsive, aggressive, and confrontational, can have difficulty listening to others, be moody and high strung, have conflict with authority figures, be too judgmental of others, and who can be overindulgent and extravagant.

Indecisive and Distracted

Finally, Miles Davis also can have a hard time staying focused and can easily become restless.

Feel Better. Live with Purpose

Sol connects you with activities and community that aligns with your feelings, personality, and core values, so you can live a more purposeful, happier, and healthier life.

iosandroid
cards

Discover more Public Figures