The Enigma of Miles Davis - Barbara J. Gardner

Introduction © Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

In my continuing efforts to highlight the work of other Jazz authors and critics, this is my first feature devoted to the work of Barbara J. Gardner, a talented writer who was based in Chicago and who for over ten years was a contributing editor to Down Beat.

In addition to the lengthy work on Miles that follows and which appeared in the January 7, 1960 edition of that magazine, she also wrote profiles on Joe Williams and Abbey Lincoln for Down Beat.  Other examples of her writing can be found on VeeJay Records, a Jazz label based in The Windy City, for which she contributed liner notes for some of its LP’s, including Wayne Shorter’s earliest recordings as a leader.

Miles in 1960 had yet to achieve super star status, but it would come - fast - in the decade ahead. By the end of the 1960s, the Miles Davis in this interview would be unrecognizable.

At this point in his career, the classic quartet with John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones which had made the landmark LPs for Prestige - Workin', Steamin', Relaxin' - and the early Columbia hallmark recordings including 'Round Midnight and Milestones was no more.

The successful collaborations with Gil Evans on Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess had taken place and they demonstrated Miles’ ability to navigate orchestral settings with a trumpet sound that was intimate and introspective.

Pianist Bill Evans short tenure with Miles had come to a close as he left to form his own trio, but not before participating on Kind of Blue with 'Trane, Cannonball Adderley, Paul and drummer Jimmy Cobb. That album would become the best selling Jazz album of all time.

Wynton Kelly would replace Bill on piano and Paul and Jimmy would continue on bass and drums, respectively, as Miles would commenced a three year tenure using different front-line saxophonists including Trane, Sonny Stitt and Hank Mobley before establishing what some would refer to as the second classic quartet featuring Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums.

And when that group disbanded, Jazz Rock Fusion would become Miles' New Frontier for the remainder of the 1960s and beyond.