M - Miles

Miles (Davis): person

When I was in 9th grade my dad gave me a cassette tape of part of "The Miles Davis Radio Project" to listen to. I had been playing the Trumpet (or Cornet) since 7th grade. I listened to it obsessively, beginning with the very significant "Red Wing Debate Tournament Weekend" (which may have been 10th grade). The tape was mostly of 80s Miles, including "New Blues" and "Tutu", both of which rocked my socks off.

That following summer I read his Autobiography (and other biographies) and started my CD collection in earnest. I can remember the exact moment I first listenened to "In A Silent Way" (after returning from a very nice weekend at my friend Laura's cabin in Brainerd), which is my favorite single recorded piece of music of all time. I remember listening to Wayne Shorter's crazy sax run about 13 minutes in to it over and over during the particularly difficult "Concordia Debate Tournament of 11th Grade". I wrote an A+ paper analyzing it for Jazz History in college (the only A+ I've ever gotten)

I now easily have more Miles Davis albums than any other artist. I love every period of Miles. I'd be an Electric Miles apologist, except I don't feel there's anything to apologize for.

I have a sweet t-shirt of Miles looking through his trumpet. I had Grad Pictures taken to match.

I don't agree with all of his personal life choices (like the drug habits, or the way he treated the women in his life), but his music is just too Effing amazing to let those opinions color the his musical legacy.

SEE ALSO: debate, graduation, quotation, In A Silent Way, trumpet