Miles Davis: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Miles Davis rebuilt jazz roughly every five years, and each reinvention had a paper trail: Charlie Parker's bandstand, Claude Thornhill's cloudy voicings via Gil Evans, Rodrigo's guitar concerto, Stockhausen's tape edits, Sly Stone's bass lines. This mix traces the St. Louis roots, the hidden arrangers, and the successors from Herbie Hancock to hip-hop-era pianists who still work in his shadow.

The Kynda mix for Miles Davis

• Key Influence · Ko-Ko by Charlie Parker (1945). Davis was a teenage sideman in Parker's quintet within months of arriving in New York in 1944, and the 1945 Savoy session that produced this piece is where his recorded career effectively begins — he was on the date, though Gillespie handled the fastest trumpet passages. Parker's phrasing set the harmonic vocabulary Davis spent the rest of the 1940s absorbing, then deliberately slowing down and thinning out into his own lyrical, mid-register approach.
• Influencia Obscura · If You Could See Me Now by Sarah Vaughan (1946). Freddie Webster, a Cleveland trumpeter who died in 1947 leaving almost no recordings under his own name, was Davis's closest early idol — Davis admired his fat, dark, vibrato-free tone above all the bebop pyrotechnicians and consciously copied it. Webster is the trumpet voice on this Vaughan session, arranged by Tadd Dameron, and it is the clearest surviving document of the sound that became Davis's own middle-register signature.
• Local Roots · In Orbit by Clark Terry (1958). Terry, from St. Louis, met the teenage Davis at a local event and became his first real mentor on the horn — Davis idolized his bright, buoyant tone and hometown swing before New York and bebop arrived. St. Louis trumpet tradition, with its emphasis on clarity of sound over sheer velocity, shaped Davis permanently. Here Terry plays flugelhorn alongside Thelonious Monk, showing the warm, conversational attack the young Davis chased.
• Beyond the Medium · Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo (1939). Davis heard Rodrigo's guitar concerto on a recording given to him around 1959 and became obsessed with its adagio, insisting Gil Evans arrange it. The resulting sixteen-minute centerpiece of Sketches of Spain reframed a Spanish concert work as a modal improvising vehicle, and pushed Davis further from chord-change playing toward scale and mood. It is the clearest case of European concert repertoire redirecting the course of his music.
• Peer · A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (1965). Coltrane spent years in Davis's quintet and sextet, playing on Kind of Blue and Milestones, and the two pushed each other toward modality before Coltrane left in 1960 to build his own quartet. Davis gave him room to overplay when critics objected; Coltrane took the modal frames of So What and Flamenco Sketches into open-ended spiritual suites. This album is what happened to Davis's harmonic experiment in someone else's hands.
• From the Canon · Kind of Blue by Miles Davis (1959). Recorded in two sessions with sketches rather than finished parts, this is the moment Davis replaced chord-change navigation with scales and space, following George Russell's modal theories and Bill Evans's impressionist touch. So What's two-chord frame gave Coltrane, Adderley and Evans room to build rather than decorate. Everything after it in his career — and much of what jazz became in the 1960s — proceeds from this reduction of harmony.
• Key Collaborator · Out of the Cool by Gil Evans (1961). Evans was Davis's closest and longest musical partner, from the Birth of the Cool nonet through Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain, and the two kept trading ideas informally for decades. This is Evans leading his own orchestra with no Davis on the horn, revealing what he brought to the partnership: patient tempos, tuba and bass clarinet colours, and vast open space around a single soloist's line.
• Legacy · Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock (1973). Hancock joined Davis at twenty-three and spent five years learning to leave notes out; Davis also pushed him onto electric piano, a decision Hancock has often credited as career-altering. Head Hunters extends the electric funk logic of Bitches Brew and On the Corner into a leaner, groove-first form that outsold anything in jazz at the time. It is the Davis method — absorb current popular rhythm, keep the improvisers — practiced by his best student.

What influenced Miles Davis

• Charlie Parker. Charlie Parker is described as Davis's idol during his early New York years. (also via Birth of the Cool, Ko-Ko) “Much of Davis's time was spent in clubs seeking his idol, Charlie Parker.” (Wikipedia)
• Karlheinz Stockhausen. Biographer states Stockhausen's avant-garde compositional ideas influenced Davis's 'space music' period. (also via Gesang der Jünglinge) “The effect of Davis' study of Stockhausen could not be repressed for long ... Davis' own 'space music' shows Stockhausen's influence compositionally.” (Wikipedia)
• Clark Terry. Clark Terry's advice on vibrato influenced Davis's tone. (also via In Orbit) “Davis befriended trumpeter Clark Terry , who suggested he play without vibrato, and performed with him for several years.” (Wikipedia)
• Bill Evans. Bill Evans's impressionistic piano style influenced Davis. (also via Sunday at the Village Vanguard) “Evans had an impressionistic approach to piano. His ideas greatly influenced Davis.” (Wikipedia)
• Dizzy Gillespie (1917). Davis is named among musicians Gillespie taught and influenced. (also via Groovin' High) “He taught and influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Miles Davis , Jon Faddis , Fats Navarro , Clifford Brown , Arturo Sandoval , Lee Morgan , [ 7 ] Chuck Mangione , [ 8 ] and balladeer Johnny Hartman .” (Wikipedia)
• George Gershwin. Porgy and Bess (Miles Davis) — legacy for George Gershwin (via Porgy and Bess) “Porgy and Bess (1959) includes arrangements of pieces from George Gershwin's opera of the same name.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Duke Ellington (1899). Miles Davis wrote a tribute composition to Ellington. (also via Black, Brown and Beige) “Miles Davis created his half-hour dirge "He Loved Him Madly" (on Get Up with It ) as a tribute to Ellington one month after his death.” (Wikipedia)
• Groovin' High by Dizzy Gillespie (1945). Groovin' High (Dizzy Gillespie) — titan for Miles Davis “Louis with a band that included Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• If You Could See Me Now by Sarah Vaughan (1946). If You Could See Me Now (Sarah Vaughan) — ghost for Miles Davis “Parker joined Eckstine, and over the next few years the band included Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Dexter Gordon, and Lucky Thompson.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo (1939). Concierto de Aranjuez (Joaquín Rodrigo) — culture for Miles Davis “Sketches of Spain (1960) contained music by Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla and originals by Evans.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• El amor brujo by Manuel de Falla (1915). El amor brujo (Manuel de Falla) — culture for Miles Davis “Sketches of Spain (1960) contained music by Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla and originals by Evans.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Elwood Buchanan. Davis names his early trumpet teacher as the biggest influence on his life. “He then took weekly lessons from "the biggest influence on my life", Elwood Buchanan , a teacher and musician who was a patient of his father.” (Wikipedia)
• Ahmad Jamal. Wikipedia states Jamal's spacious piano approach influenced Davis's playing. “Davis abandoned the bebop style and turned to the music of pianist Ahmad Jamal , whose approach and use of space influenced him.” (Wikipedia)
• George Russell. George Russell's modal theory informed Davis's modal jazz approach on Kind of Blue. “Both Davis and Evans were familiar with George Russell 's ideas about modal jazz.” (Wikipedia)
• Aura by Palle Mikkelborg. Mikkelborg's composition impressed Davis enough to record an album based on it. “Trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg had written "Aura", a contemporary classical piece, for the event which impressed Davis to the point of returning to Denmark in early 1985 to record his next studio album, Aura .” (Wikipedia)
• Sugar Ray Robinson. Davis cites boxer Sugar Ray Robinson as a personal influence on his attitude. “he wrote that in 1954 Sugar Ray Robinson "was the most important thing in my life besides music", and he adopted Robinson's "arrogant attitude".” (Wikipedia)
• Mary Lou Williams (1910). Williams is identified as a teacher and mentor to Davis. “she was friend, mentor, and teacher to Thelonious Monk , Charlie Parker , Miles Davis , Tadd Dameron , Bud Powell , and Dizzy Gillespie” (Wikipedia)
• Ko-Ko by Charlie Parker (1945). Ko-Ko (Charlie Parker) — titan for Miles Davis “He left to study at the Juilliard School in New York City, before dropping out and making his professional debut as a member of saxophonist Charlie Parker's bebop quintet from 1944 to 1948.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Black, Brown and Beige by Duke Ellington (1943). Black, Brown and Beige (Duke Ellington) — titan for Miles Davis “=== 1948–1950: Miles Davis Nonet and Birth of the Cool === In August 1948, Davis declined an offer to join Duke Ellington's orchestra as he had entered rehearsals with a nine-piece band featuring baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and a…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Snowfall by Claude Thornhill (1941). Snowfall (Claude Thornhill) — ghost for Miles Davis “Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool nonet was modeled in part on Thornhill's sound and unconventional instrumentation.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Gesang der Jünglinge by Karlheinz Stockhausen (1956). Gesang der Jünglinge (Karlheinz Stockhausen) — ghost for Miles Davis “In 1972, composer-arranger Paul Buckmaster introduced Davis to the music of avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, leading to a period of creative exploration.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Stand! by Sly & the Family Stone (1969). Stand! (Sly & the Family Stone) — culture for Miles Davis (musicbrainz.org)
• James Brown (1933). Davis's taste for James Brown fed into his funk-era sound.
• Sly and the Family Stone. Davis's taste for Sly and the Family Stone fed into his funk-era sound.
• Band of Gypsys by Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's Band of Gypsys particularly impressed Davis.

Peers and kindred spirits

• John Coltrane. Davis recruited Coltrane for his quintet. (also via Kind of Blue, A Love Supreme) “In 1955, I joined Miles on a regular basis and worked with him till the middle of 1957.” (DownBeat)
• Joaquín Rodrigo. Davis recorded music by Rodrigo on Sketches of Spain. (also via Concierto de Aranjuez) “Sketches of Spain (1960) contained music by Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla and originals by Evans.” (Wikipedia)
• Manuel de Falla. Davis recorded music by Manuel de Falla on Sketches of Spain. (also via El amor brujo) “Sketches of Spain (1960) contained music by Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla and originals by Evans.” (Wikipedia)
• James Baldwin (1924). Davis describes his friendship with Baldwin. (also via Miles Davis) “I'd read his books and I liked and respected what he had to say. As I got to know Jimmy we opened up to each other and became real great friends.” (Wikipedia)
• Gil Evans. Davis and Gil Evans had a sustained five-album orchestral collaboration. (also via Out of the Cool) “Davis accepted and worked with Gil Evans in what became a five-album collaboration from 1957 to 1962.” (Wikipedia)
• John Lewis (1940). Episode description states John Lewis played with and arranged for Miles Davis. “He played with and arranged for colleagues such as: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, the Jazztet” (¡Colores! (public broadcasting))
• In Orbit by Clark Terry (1958). In Orbit (Clark Terry) — geography for Miles Davis “Davis befriended trumpeter Clark Terry, who suggested he play without vibrato, and performed with him for several years.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (1965). A Love Supreme (John Coltrane) — peer for Miles Davis “It was his first work with saxophonist John Coltrane and bassist Paul Chambers, key members of the sextet he led into the early 1960s.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus (1959). Mingus Ah Um (Charles Mingus) — peer for Miles Davis “Even in a year of standout masterpieces, including Dave Brubeck's Time Out, Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, John Coltrane's Giant Steps, and Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come, this was a major achievement, featuring such classic Mi…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk (1957). Brilliant Corners (Thelonious Monk) — peer for Miles Davis “Johnson, Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro and Freddie Webster.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Speak No Evil by Wayne Shorter (1966). Speak No Evil (Wayne Shorter) — collaborator for Miles Davis “After adding saxophonist Wayne Shorter to his new quintet in 1964, Davis led them on a series of more abstract recordings often composed by the band members, helping pioneer the post-bop genre with albums such as E.S.P.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Sunday at the Village Vanguard by Bill Evans (1961). Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Bill Evans) — collaborator for Miles Davis “He wanted someone who could play modal jazz, so he hired Bill Evans, a young pianist with a background in classical music.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Duke by Dave Brubeck. Miles Davis covered Brubeck's Ellington tribute 'The Duke'. “including Miles Davis on his Miles Ahead , 1957.” (Wikipedia)
• Jimi Hendrix. Davis had planned to record with Hendrix before his death. “Plans to record with Hendrix ended after the guitarist's death; his funeral was the last one that Davis attended.” (Wikipedia)
• Charlie Parker Quintet by Charlie Parker. Davis joined Charlie Parker's working quintet. “In 1945, Davis replaced Dizzy Gillespie in Charlie Parker's quintet.” (Wikipedia)
• Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. Davis covered Cyndi Lauper's song on You're Under Arrest. “It included cover versions of two pop songs: " Time After Time " by Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson 's " Human Nature ".” (Wikipedia)
• Human Nature by Michael Jackson. Davis covered Michael Jackson's song on You're Under Arrest. “It included cover versions of two pop songs: " Time After Time " by Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson 's " Human Nature ".” (Wikipedia)
• The Maids of Cadiz by Léo Delibes. Davis recorded a classical piece by Delibes on Miles Ahead. “Miles Ahead (1957) showcased Davis on flugelhorn and a rendition of "The Maids of Cadiz" by Léo Delibes , the first piece of classical music that Davis recorded.” (Wikipedia)
• Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. Davis and Evans arranged pieces from Gershwin's opera. “Porgy and Bess (1959) includes arrangements of pieces from George Gershwin's opera .” (Wikipedia)
• Prince (1958). Davis and Prince recorded together, unreleased for decades. “Davis collaborated with Prince on a song titled "Can I Play With U," which went unreleased until 2020.” (Wikipedia)
• Scritti Politti. Davis worked with post-punk act Scritti Politti. “Davis collaborated with a number of figures from the British post-punk and new wave movements during this period, including Scritti Politti .” (Wikipedia)
• Zucchero Fornaciari. Davis collaborated with Italian musician Zucchero Fornaciari. “He also collaborated with Zucchero Fornaciari in a version of Dune Mosse ( Blue's ), published in 2004 in Zu & Co. of the Italian bluesman.” (Wikipedia)
• Toto. Davis guested on a Toto track. “Davis appeared on the instrumental "Don't Stop Me Now" by Toto on its album Fahrenheit (1986).” (Wikipedia)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “In 2006, Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” (Wikipedia)
• Quincy Jones. Davis's final live album was a collaboration with Quincy Jones. “Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux (1993), a collaboration with Quincy Jones from the 1991 Montreux Jazz Festival” (Wikipedia)
• Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Davis was inducted into the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. “In November 1988 he was inducted into the Sovereign Military Order of Malta at a ceremony at the Alhambra Palace in Spain.” (Wikipedia)
• Tiki Fulwood. Fulwood worked briefly for Miles Davis. “After also working briefly for Miles Davis , Fulwood died of cancer in 1979.” (Wikipedia)
• Tadanori Yokoo. Yokoo designed cover art for Davis’s album Agharta. “Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo used elements of science fiction, along with Eastern subterranean myths, to depict an advanced civilization in his design of the cover art for African-American jazz musician Miles Davis's live album Agharta .” (Wikipedia)
• The Blues and the Abstract Truth by Oliver Nelson (1961). The Blues and the Abstract Truth (Oliver Nelson) — geography for Miles Davis (musicbrainz.org)
• Idle Moments by Grant Green (1965). Idle Moments (Grant Green) — geography for Miles Davis (musicbrainz.org)
• Out of the Cool by Gil Evans (1961). Out of the Cool (Gil Evans) — collaborator for Miles Davis “During this period, he alternated between orchestral jazz collaborations with arranger Gil Evans, such as the Spanish music–influenced Sketches of Spain (1960), and band recordings, such as Milestones (1958) and Kind of Blue (1959).” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Dick Gregory. Kind of Blue (Miles Davis) — geography for Dick Gregory (via Kind of Blue) (musicbrainz.org)
• Ascenseur pour l'échafaud by Louis Malle. Davis scored Louis Malle's film, an example of cross-medium collaboration.

Who Miles Davis influenced

• Keith Jarrett (1945). Jarrett names Miles Davis as a vital musical and personal influence. (also via Kind of Blue) “I wouldn't have played that electric piano with anybody else” (Fresh Air Archive (NPR))
• Herbie Hancock. Davis prompted Hancock to use electric keyboards. (also via Miles Smiles, Birth of the Cool, Bitches Brew) “Provoked by Miles Davis to use electric keyboards, Herbie Hancock quickly developed his taste for gadgets into an appreciation for electric and synthesized sounds.” (Wikipedia)
• Portishead (1991). Barrow cites Miles Davis as a sampling/influence source for Portishead's sound. (also via In a Silent Way) “then taking "a horn riff from Fred Wesley or Miles Davis” (Wikipedia)
• Steve Reich. Davis is named as an important influence on Reich. “At the age of 14, through a number of friends, I heard recordings of the "Rite of Spring," the Fifth Brandenburg [Concerto], Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and the drummer Kenny Clark.” (American Mavericks)
• Radiohead (1985). Miles Davis was among the artists Radiohead listened to for inspiration during OK Computer sessions. (also via Mount Vernon and Fairway) “listening to the Beatles , DJ Shadow , Ennio Morricone and Miles Davis for inspiration.” (Wikipedia)
• Mwandishi. Whitehead states Mwandishi's fusion sound derived from Miles Davis' earlier fusion work. “Their free-form electric music owed a lot to Miles Davis' earlier fusion jams, only with more bass and some Sun Ra reverb.” (Fresh Air (NPR/WHYY))
• Fela Kuti (1938). Notes musical similarities between Kuti and Miles Davis's electric-era work. “There are clear, audible musical similarities between Kuti's compositions and the work of electric-era Miles Davis , Sly Stone and Afrofunk pioneer Orlando Julius” (Wikipedia)
• To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. States Miles Davis's influence on the album. “To Pimp a Butterfly was influenced by the works of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic .” (Wikipedia)
• Richard Pryor (1940). Pryor names Miles Davis among the music he most enjoys listening to. “I like listening to the Gypsy Kings and some Miles Davis, some Marvin Gaye and sometimes Mozart.” (Fresh Air (NPR/WHYY))
• Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock (1973). Head Hunters (Herbie Hancock) — legacy for Miles Davis “Davis made several lineup changes while recording Someday My Prince Will Come (1961), his 1961 Blackhawk concerts, and Seven Steps to Heaven (1963), another commercial success that introduced bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock an…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy influenced by jazz artist Miles Davis. “they also listen to mainstream jazz by artists such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane .” (Wikipedia)
• Brian Eno. Davis's Ellington tribute track is cited as an influence on Eno's ambient music. (via He Loved Him Madly) “The track "He Loved Him Madly", a 30-minute tribute to the recently deceased Duke Ellington, influenced Brian Eno 's ambient music.” (Wikipedia)
• Joni Mitchell (1943). Sketches of Spain (Miles Davis) — titan for Joni Mitchell (via Sketches of Spain) “She widened her repertoire to include her favourite performers, such as Édith Piaf and Miles Davis, at age 18.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Ambient 4: On Land. The article places Eno’s encounter with Davis’s recording before the making of On Land. (via He Loved Him Madly) “Before Eno made Ambient 4: On Land (1982) , Robert Quine played him Miles Davis ' "He Loved Him Madly" from the 1974 album Get Up with It .” (Wikipedia)
• Black Radio by Robert Glasper (2012). Black Radio (Robert Glasper) — legacy for Miles Davis “In 2015, Glasper served as producer, composer, and arranger for the film Miles Ahead, a biopic documenting the life of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, whom Glasper cites as being one of his major musical influences.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Cosmogramma by Flying Lotus (2010). Cosmogramma (Flying Lotus) — legacy for Miles Davis (musicbrainz.org)
• Marvin Gaye (1939). Sketches of Spain (Miles Davis) — titan for Marvin Gaye (via Sketches of Spain) (musicbrainz.org)
• D’Angelo. On the Corner (Miles Davis) — culture for D’Angelo (via On the Corner) (musicbrainz.org)