Miles Davis And The Jazz Giants: Cultivating Black Artistry
I love jazz.
When my partner learned I was a jazz pianist, he introduced me to Bill Evans with Portrait in Jazz. In the pre-COVID era, I would browse the local Half Price Bookstore for John Coltrane vinyl and CDs. When Governor Gavin Newsom announced the shelter-in-place order back in March, I rushed back to Half Price Bookstore to make my last in-person purchases. I texted my partner to ask which new jazz CDs I should look for, and one of the names in his response was Miles Davis. After my hour-long perusal, I emerged with a handful of things: a quarantine journal (which is now half completed) and two Miles Davis CDs, Kind of Blue and Birth of Cool.
Listening to his artistry was a revelation. I already liked jazz before I met Miles, but hearing Kind of Blue for the first time felt like the gasp you make when you realize you’re in love. The album’s first track, So What, fills me with such glee and child-like anticipation. After a minute and thirty-two seconds, Miles’s trumpet’s elongated two-note entrance is like the rush of cool, crisp air in my lungs at the start of winter. It is pure sonic bliss.
This new obsession led to further research, and I found myself watching the documentary, Miles Davis: Birth of Cool, on Netflix. I was in awe of his skill, his confidence, and his wealth. And although we have to bear in mind the humanity of celebrities, Miles, in the eyes of his friends and fans, was superhuman. As jazz music historian, Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle, states in the documentary: he was ‘Black Superman.’
While ‘idol worship’ definitely still exists, nowadays, there is a root of scorn toward celebrities who have power and wealth to enact real, thorough change, yet chose not to take any action. But unlike the general celebrity populous, Miles used his stardom to produce tangible change. With his power, he uplifted budding Black musicians, as he “consistently surrounded himself with young, emerging unknown voices and allowed them to develop their musical identity” (Kernodle).
In the documentary, Miles voices, “I knew that if you’ve got some great musicians, they would deal with the situation and play beyond what is there and above where they think they can.” (Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool 01:13:38-01:13:30) One of my other favorite jazz musicians, John Coltrane, was able to find his sound by being a part of Miles’s band for the record, Kind of Blue. Few people heard the potential in young Coltrane, “but Miles brought him along and provided Coltrane the space to become the artist who we would later love and revere.” Herbie Hancock, a pianist in the 1960s Miles Davis Quintet, asked about public opinion if they were to make mistakes, to which Miles responded, “I’ll take care of the public. You just play.” (Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool 01:10:29-37:46). Throughout the documentary, historians and friends alike were not shy about detailing Miles’s sometimes arrogant and selfish actions. However, it takes a kind of selflessness to nurture the talent of artists, not only younger than you but with the potential to become a better artist than you, which is what Miles did for these young men.
However, we still have to bear in mind the humanity of our idols. Miles advocated for the advancement of Black musicians, but he still committed acts of domestic violence against his first ex-wife, Frances Taylor, because of a combination of alcohol and cocaine use (Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool 48:57-44:22.) Despite being a fan of his music and his advocacy of his fellow Black musicians, I have to remain critical and cognizant of his wrongdoings. Because no matter how much good one person does, it does not erase the bad. Fame and celebrity does not and should not absolve people of their transgressions.
I love jazz. I will always love jazz. And, I will always love the powerful, spontaneous, and beautiful music Miles produced. To me, his music is a tether in a chaotic, unpredictable world, and I so fondly look forward to the day I can safely visit Half Price Bookstore again to find another one of his gems.
Keana Aguila Labra (she/her) is an INFJ, bisexual Virgo who resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. She examines literature & media through a cultural and feminist lens with poetry, prose, articles, and CNF essays. Knowing the importance of representation, her work is evidence that Filipinx Americans are present in the literary world. Her book reviews may be found on Medium: @keanalabra.
This article was edited by EIC Kailah Figueroa