Miles Davis and American Culture (Missouri Historical Society Press) [Hardcover]

Gerald Early (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001 | Series: Missouri Historical Society Press

Miles Davis and American Culture examines Davis in cultural context. In this new collection of a dozen essays, William Kenney explores the St. Louis jazz scene of Davis's youth; Eugene B. Redmond looks at East St. Louis's cultural history; Ingrid Monson examines Davis and civil rights; and Waldo Martin discusses Davis and his relation to the black avant-garde of the 1960s.Original interviews and classic photographs round out the volume, published to coincide with the 2001 Miles Davis Festival, celebrating what would have been Davis's seventy-fifth birthday.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Miles Davis as cultural giant which is the theme of this wonderfully edited collection of prose, poetry, and interviews. Beginning with an evocative rendering of the St. Louis music scene of Davis's youth (riverboats, dance halls, and long-forgotten territory bands) and moving through his early development working with the significant proponents of bebop and on to his final days, this work boasts high-quality prose across the board with occasional divergent views on the importance of Davis and his music. Early (Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington Univ.) and contributors like Ingrid Monson, Eric Porter, and Farah Jasmine Griffin present Davis as a portal to the range of African American music and its impact on American culture. Fortunately, the controversies are not sugarcoated; several chapters are devoted to his most contentious music, dating from the period 1969-75. Interviews with prominent musicians la Quincy Jones, Ahmad Jamal, and Ron Carter provide unique insight into the man and musician. Recommended for music collections as well as academic and public libraries with strong music collections. [This is being published to coincide with the 2001 Miles Davis Festival, marking what would have been the trumpeter's 75th birthday. Ed.] William G. Kenz, Minnesota State Univ., Moorhea.
- William G. Kenz, Minnesota State Univ., Moorhead
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The late Miles Davis would have turned 75 in May of this year, and numerous tributes are being presented in print, on the air, and on stage across the country, all in honor of the great jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Notable among the contributions is this collection of essays and reflections by jazz critics and musicians who were intimately acquainted with Davis and his work. The lead essay by editor Early, "Miles Davis as American Knight and American Knave," discusses at length Davis' contribution to the creation of "the mythology of black masculinity," and he identifies similarities in the personas of black boxers and black jazz musicians in American culture. Quincy Troupe, Davis' ghostwriter, adds personal reflections on transformations in Davis' music between the 1950s and the late 1960s. Producers Quincy Jones and George Avakian, pianist Ahmad Jamal, bassist Ron Carter, and keyboardist Joey DeFrancesco all offer fond tributes. Last but not least, the book concludes with the classic Playboy interview by Alex Haley, in which Miles shows a typical pugnacious attitude and taciturn demeanor. Ted Leventhal
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Missouri History Museum Press; 1 edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883982375
• ISBN-13: 978-1883982379
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,162,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must" for students of jazz history, June 6, 2001

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Miles Davis and American Culture (Missouri Historical Society Press) (Paperback)

Miles Davis was far more than just another jazz musician. He was a primary reference for the jazz culture of performers and audiences of his day and a man whose influence on the jazz community continues down to the present time. In Miles Davis And American Culture, Gerald Early has assembled an impressive collection of essays on the world, work, and life of Miles Davis. From Early's opening essay "The Art of the Muscle: Miles Davis as American Knight and American Knave" to Benjamin Cawthra's "Remembering Miles in St. Louise: A Conclusion", Miles Davis And American Culture is a compendium of cogent, illuminating, and occasionally challenging descriptions, analyses, and commentaries on a great icon of American jazz -- and a "must" for students of jazz history, as well as Miles Davis' legions of fans.

4 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Compelling Book, September 13, 2001

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This review is from: Miles Davis and American Culture (Missouri Historical Society Press) (Hardcover)

Miles Davis was more than a Great Musician He was a Man with a Mind&He had alot to say.this Book reflects on that&more.very detail on many subjects.any book usual on Miles is a must read because not only for His Music but His take on the World Around Him.