From 1975 to 1981 the jazz giant Miles Davis temporarily retired from music. Almost completely reclusive, nobody outside of a very close circle knew what was happening to him. Rumours abounded: he was sick, he was dying, he was healthy; he was playing the trumpet, the organ, nothing at all. Only one jazz writer was able to get close to him during this time: Eric Nisenson.

From 1978 to 1981 Nisenson conducted dozens of interviews with Miles Davis and his associates. The result was 'Round About Midnight, an engaging firsthand account of Miles's fascinating and difficult career.

From his recording with Charlie Parker and the Birth of the Cool nonet through the Coltrane quintet, the Gil Evans-arranged masterpieces of the 1950s and 1960s, the landmark Kind of Blue album, the Wayne Shorter-Herbie Hancock-Ron Carter-Tony Williams group, and the success of his fusion recordings of the 1970s, Miles's personality - contemplative, abruptly defiant, strong, elegant - meshed with his art to form one of the most compelling legends in the history of American music. While actively disdaining his audience, he sought to broaden it by incorporating elements of other musics - classical, flamenco, rock, funk - into his uncompromising jazz. This contradictory combination of contempt and a desire for recognition fueled controversy in both his public and private lives, and resulted in Miles's lengthy self-imposed isolation.

Nisenson broke through that isolation, and his autobiographical portrait is vivid and telling. This updated edition features a new preface, new material covering Miles in the 1980s, and a new recommended listening section.

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FURTHER READING

Miles Davis by Ian Carr Miles The Autobiography as told to Quincy Troupe A Miles Davis Reader a collection of articles Miles Davis and American Culture a collection of essays edited by Gerald Early Kind of Blue Ashley Kahn's account of this masterpiece Miles Beyond Paul Tingen's book on Miles' electric explorations

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Miles Davis John Coltrane Bill Evans bebop hard bop

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