
Miles Davis
The Definitive Biography
Ian Carr(Author)
HarperCollins (Publisher)
Published on 19. July 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
672 pages
978-0-00-653026-8 (ISBN)
Description
The acclaimed classic biography, fully revised, becomes the definitive.
The revised edition of Ian Carr's classic biography of Miles Davis throws new light on his life and career from the early days in New York, with Charlie Parker, to his Birth of the Cool band, through his drug addiction in the early 1950s, and the years of extraordinary achievements, 1954-1960, during which he created a whole series of masterpieces on record, and drew to his band such unequalled talents as John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Cannonball Adderly.
Carr also gives a detailed description of Miles's dark reclusive period, 1975-1980, and his descent towards disintegration. He also tells how the events of one single day forced Davis to turn back to life and return slowly to music.
The incessant activity of his last ten years - the music-making, his painting and art exhibitions, his extraordinary trumpet playing, his marriage to and divorce from Cicely Tyson - is recounted with fascinating insight. Miles Davis, whose work has been called 'one of the greatest musical legacies of the twentieth century', remained controversial until the end, and this definitive biography examines the controversy from all sides.
With access to the inner circle of Davis's friends and associates, Ian Carr includes new interviews with such jazz greats as Max Roach, George Russell, George Avakian, Ron Carter, John Carisi, John Scofield, Bill Evans and Jack and Lydia DeJohnette, and revisits those who contributed to the first edition, including Keith Jarrett, Dave Holland, Joe Zawinul and Paul Buckmaster. This new, revised edition is an essential source for those who want to understand Miles, his music and the 'jazz life'.
The revised edition of Ian Carr's classic biography of Miles Davis throws new light on his life and career from the early days in New York, with Charlie Parker, to his Birth of the Cool band, through his drug addiction in the early 1950s, and the years of extraordinary achievements, 1954-1960, during which he created a whole series of masterpieces on record, and drew to his band such unequalled talents as John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Cannonball Adderly.
Carr also gives a detailed description of Miles's dark reclusive period, 1975-1980, and his descent towards disintegration. He also tells how the events of one single day forced Davis to turn back to life and return slowly to music.
The incessant activity of his last ten years - the music-making, his painting and art exhibitions, his extraordinary trumpet playing, his marriage to and divorce from Cicely Tyson - is recounted with fascinating insight. Miles Davis, whose work has been called 'one of the greatest musical legacies of the twentieth century', remained controversial until the end, and this definitive biography examines the controversy from all sides.
With access to the inner circle of Davis's friends and associates, Ian Carr includes new interviews with such jazz greats as Max Roach, George Russell, George Avakian, Ron Carter, John Carisi, John Scofield, Bill Evans and Jack and Lydia DeJohnette, and revisits those who contributed to the first edition, including Keith Jarrett, Dave Holland, Joe Zawinul and Paul Buckmaster. This new, revised edition is an essential source for those who want to understand Miles, his music and the 'jazz life'.
Reviews / Votes
From the reviews of the first edition:'In a class by itself... he knows his music and his Miles'
New York Times Book Review
'Masterful'
New Society
'Fascinating'
Daily Telegraph
More details
Edition
Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Edition type
Revised edition
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
16 b/w plates (32pp), Index
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 40 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-653026-8 (9780006530268)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2016
HarperCollins
€12.99
Available for download
Previous edition
Person
Ian Carr was born in Scotland, brought up in the north of England and educated at Kings College, Newcastle upon Tyne. He became a professional musician, playing trumpet, flugel horn and keyboards, and has made numerous recordings. He has made many broadcasts for jazz programmes for BBC Radio 3 and has written for the BBC Music Magazine since its inception in 1992. Ian Carr is the author of Music Outside (1973) and Keith Jarrett, the Man and his Music (1991).