Miles Davis

Miles Davis was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer whose six-decade career continually redefined the genre. Born in Alton, Illinois, he moved to New York in the 1940s, studying at Juilliard while playing with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Davis led landmark sessions including Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue, and Bitches Brew, pioneering cool jazz, modal jazz, and jazz fusion. He collaborated with John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock, and his groups often served as incubators for future jazz innovators. Davis received multiple Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His influence spans jazz, rock, funk, and hip-hop.