| | |  | Books | Home » » Miles Davis: The Definitive Biography | | | | | | | Description: | | This exhaustively researched, revised edition of Ian Carr's classic biography throws new light on Davis' life and career: from the early days in New York with Charlie Parker; to the Birth of Cool; through his drug addiction in the early 1950s and the years of extraordinary achievements (1954-1960), during which he signed with Columbia and collaborated with such unequaled talents as John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Cannonball Adderly. Carr also explores Davis' dark, reclusive period (1975-1980), offering firsthand accounts of his descent into addiction, as well as his dramatic return to life and music. Carr has talked with the people who knew Miles and his music best including Bill Evans, Joe Zawinul, Keith Jarrett, and Jack DeJohnette, and has conducted interviews with Ron Carter, Max Roach, John Scofield and others. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Ian Carr | | Paperback:
| 688 pages | | Publisher:
| Da Capo Press | | Publication Date:
| December 21, 2006 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 1560259671 | | Package Length:
| 8.0 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.5 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.8 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.2 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 12 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
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1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Has some problems but probably the best biography of Miles so farSep 13, 2005
Ian Carr's MILES DAVIS: The Definitive Biography is one of the more meticulous lives of the great jazz innovator. Published first in 1982, it was thoroughly revised in 1998 to cover Miles' final years as well as shed greater light on his entire career.
A strong aspect of the book is Carr's access to various recordings which the average fan wouldn't have a chance to listen to, such as early projects in the 40s and concerts during the 1980s. Carr very thoroughly charts Miles' health problems and the horrendous squalor he was living in during the late 1970s, making the reader impressed that he held out as long as he did. The book is also well-researched, and Carr occasionally corrects mistakes made by other biographers, such as the claim that Miles recorded with Karlheinz Stockhausen (they never met). Carr knows the trumpet well and can speak on technical aspects of Miles' playing better than other commentators. One might also mention that the book is admirably typeset, and its ease on the eyes makes it a pleasure to read.
There are a few downsides to the work. Carr rarely attempts to show matters from the viewpoint of Miles' antagonists. His marriage to Cicely Tyson, for instance, is presented as if she was the one responsible for its demise. His coverage of the 80s too often is a dry counting of tour dates, and it would be nice to have some amusing anecdotes thrown in to allow the content to breathe. Also, the book holds no serious musicological analysis of Davis' work, although there are some superficial comments and some examples from various scores at the back of the book.
If you are looking for an overview of Miles' entire career that treats all of his phases fairly, from his early traditional jazz to fusion to the almost-pop of his 80s efforts, then Ian Carr's biography, in spite of its negative aspects, is probably the best available.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Great, exhaustive effortJun 29, 2003
Ian Carr's book on Miles is complete, fairly even-handed and really tries to capture Miles as both a Musician and a budding painter and importantly as an individual. It relates the large roller coaster of Miles decade by decade at the top of his game and then coming down, getting involved with seedier elements and then somehow surviving and coming back up to ascension. Anyone who respects the Jazz genre owes it to themselves to read this book if only for the history involved, because during all the twists and turns in Jazz, especially from the Bebop era on, Miles was there, and his place as a central character is assurred, among the Jazz Greats. The only reason I just gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I read Miles' own autobiography a bit later, and although he throws f-bombs throughout that book, I feel that it is still a better book because it comes from the mind of the Man himself.. This is still a great chronology, definitely worth checking out.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Have read better Miles booksFeb 03, 2003
This was the 4th biography about Miles Davis I had read. I guess once you read 2 or 3 biographies about a person you don't learn much new information. Although well written I don't think this is the best account of Miles Davis life a fan could read. I recommend Miles Davis Autobiography or Milestones before reading this one.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Helpful insights into Miles the manFeb 16, 2002
Describing any book as "definitive" is absurdly presumptious, especially when the subject is as well-known and widely discussed as Miles Davis. But Carr deserves to be credited with having produced a thorough and meticulous narrative of Miles' life and works. Frequently Miles' music is described to an excessively detailed degree, as if every single piece he recorded was a masterpiece. More judiciously selective analysis would have been preferable. The insights into Miles' working practices and relationships with his musicians are, however, of substantial interest to the jazz fan.
6 of 38 found the following review helpful:
 A stupid bookApr 16, 2001
This a book for ..., the man Ian Carr is an ..., The comments he makes about western music are truly ..., I agree with the other reviews, he highlights his lack of musical knowledge when he attempts to discuss musical theory. This book is also very, very,very badly written, probably the worsed written book I've ever read. He doesn't write anything interesting about miles either. Read the 'Miles Davis autobiography' it is a thousand million times better.
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