Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th Century music. Miles was instrumental in the evolution of Jazz from “Bop” with innovators such as Charlie Parker through “post Bop” with the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Thelonious Monkand John Coltrane, on into modal jazz with his “Classic Quartet” featuring Coltrane, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, and piano legend Bill Evans showcased in the seminal album Kind Of Blue.

Later, with formation of his so-called “Second Great Quartet” Miles would experiment with avant-guard jazz, exploring rhythms and textures created by what many critics feel is the greatest group of improvisers ever assembled which included the astonishing Tony Williams on drums, composer-pianist Herbie Hancock, composer-saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter on bass.

It is with this great ensemble that Miles would go on originate the sound that would be called “jazz-fusion”, collaborating with these four and other musicians such as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, Chic Corea, Josef Zawinul, Keith Jarrett, David Holland, and Jack DeJohnette, to name a few.

It has been said that jazz was invented by Louis Armstrong; refined by Duke Ellington; and taken into the stratosphere by Miles Davis. There has never been anyone or anything like him before or since.