Timeline Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Bebop, cool, modal, electric — Miles Davis changed jazz again and again over five decades.

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Dashed left edge = started before this timeline · Dashed right edge = still ongoing

Miles Davis: Kind of Blue 18

1926 Miles Davis born in Alton, Illinois Raised in East St. Louis The son of a dentist, gets his first trumpet at 13.
1944 Miles Davis moves to New York Juilliard Studies at Juilliard and seeks out Charlie Parker.
1945 Miles Davis joins Charlie Parker's quintet Bebop Plays trumpet in Parker's band at 19.
1949 – 1950 Miles Davis records Birth of the Cool Cool jazz A nonet that launches cool jazz.
1955 Miles Davis' comeback at Newport 'Round Midnight A comeback set that wins him a Columbia contract.
1955 Miles Davis forms his first great quintet With John Coltrane With Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.
1957 Miles Davis records Miles Ahead With Gil Evans The first of his orchestral albums with Gil Evans.
1959 Miles Davis releases Kind of Blue Best-selling jazz album Modal jazz with Coltrane and Bill Evans.
1959 Miles Davis beaten by police outside Birdland New York Arrested and beaten while taking a break outside the club.
1960 Miles Davis releases Sketches of Spain With Gil Evans Spanish music arranged by Gil Evans.
1964 Miles Davis forms his second great quintet With Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock With Shorter, Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams.
1970 Miles Davis releases Bitches Brew Jazz fusion Electric jazz-rock — his best-selling album at the time.
1970 Miles Davis plays the Isle of Wight Festival 600,000 people Electric jazz for a rock festival crowd.
1975 – 1980 Miles Davis withdraws from music Five years of silence Stops playing in public for five years.
1981 Miles Davis returns with The Man with the Horn Comeback Back on stage and in the studio.
1986 Miles Davis releases Tutu Warner Bros. A synthesiser-driven album with Marcus Miller.
1991 Miles Davis dies Santa Monica Dies aged 65.
2006 Miles Davis inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Jazz in the Hall Inducted for his influence on rock.