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Thread started 02/05/08 11:08pm

Volitan

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Miles Davis bios

I imagine there are a lot of bio's about this man but which one is the best/most accurate, as I'm getting into him recently and wanna read about him
Maybe we can go to the movies and cry together
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Reply #1 posted 02/06/08 1:43am

manki

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This is a must!!!From the first page you're hooked.
You can read about it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mil...0671635042

/peace Manki
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Reply #2 posted 02/06/08 1:54am

Shapeshifter

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Volitan said:

I imagine there are a lot of bio's about this man but which one is the best/most accurate, as I'm getting into him recently and wanna read about him



The one I really rate is George Cole's The Last Miles - covering the woefully underrated 1980-91. It's pretty much a twilight of the champion type book too, detailing Miles's physical decline.

Then there's the very good So What: The Life & Times of Miles Davis by John Svwed (not a typo). That covers the peak period in great detail, but is ligt n the last years. You need them both.
There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently
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Reply #3 posted 02/06/08 1:57am

Shapeshifter

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manki said:


This is a must!!!From the first page you're hooked.
You can read about it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mil...0671635042

/peace Manki


It's good, but not great. The best jazz autobiographies are Mingus' Beneath the Underdog (which Mingus actually wrote himself as opposed to talked at a ghostwriter - and, as such, it's a SUPERB piece of writing) and Art Pepper's Straight Life. I was expecting more from Miles' book. It wasn't that revealing.
There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently
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Reply #4 posted 02/06/08 12:15pm

prettymansson

I have read most of the Major ones..including the ones discussed previously in this thread...
I most enjoyed this one though..
Miles to go : By Chris Murphy.
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Reply #5 posted 02/06/08 2:50pm

Volitan

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It appears the auto would be the way to go. I read a couple pages on amazon and loved it.
Maybe we can go to the movies and cry together
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Reply #6 posted 02/06/08 2:55pm

soulyacolia

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I highly recommend Ian Carr's biography of Miles.

It covers his whole career and is very objective and brilliantly written. It accompanies the autobiography (which is also essential) very well.

smile
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Reply #7 posted 02/07/08 1:12pm

Miles

I must recommend 'Miles Beyond', by Paul Tingen, the best book imo about Miles' 'electric period' 1969-91. It's written by a non-jazz-centred writer, and he comes at the music from a more rock-oriented perspective, which is good, as Miles was kind of exploring that area at that time, if in his own way. It gives particular coverage to the music from 1969-75, but is also good on the 'silent years' when Miles was 'semi-retired' due to various 'health problems' shall we say ...

'The Last Miles', already mentioned, is far more in-depth on the 1981-91 'comeback years', but 'Miles Beyond' is imo the best book out there on the whole 'Bitches Brew and beyond' era.

Enjoy reading about Miles! smile
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Reply #8 posted 02/07/08 5:36pm

NuPwr319

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manki said:


This is a must!!!From the first page you're hooked.
You can read about it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mil...0671635042

/peace Manki


Definitely. That man has such a memory for detail!
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