Bios
Miles Davis
Jazz trumpet virtuoso, Miles Davis, was one of the biggest stars of the jazz world and helped to push the boundaries of jazz music. He helped develop such sub-genres as cool jazz, free jazz, hard bop and fusion. Along with his album, Kind of Blue (1959), which has since gone 4-times Platinum, Miles Davis released over 100 other recordings including Sketches of Spain (1960) which has gone Gold and Bitches Brew (1970), which has been designated Platinum. Winner of 9 Grammys, Miles Davis, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, 15 years after his death.
Bill Evans
Bill Evans, a jazz pianist, received 31 Grammy nominations and won the award seven. Born in New Jersey, Evans created a new standard of jazz piano that has since influenced the likes of Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, John Taylor and countless others. Evans joined up with Miles Davis in 1958, but only lasted in the group for about eight months. Davis invited Evans back in 1959 for the recording of Kind of Blue, in which the pianist contributed a large amount of influence on the album. He co-wrote "Blue in Green" and helped create the structure of "Flamenco Sketches". Evans went on to form numerous jazz trios and push the limits of piano based jazz. After decades of drug abuse, he died in September 1980.
John Coltrane
One of the most significant jazz tenor saxophonists of all time, John Coltrane not only was an incredible sideman, but also released close to fifty albums as a leader of a group. Having worked together before, Coltrane rejoined Miles Davis in 1958 and perfected Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” technique. The technique allowed for Coltrane to play multiple notes at one time. Coltrane was the perfect opposite of Adderley in the recording of Kind of Blue, with each musician improvising off of the other. Coltrane would leave the Miles Davis sextet in 1960 and release his own music. He died in 1967 from complications due to liver disease.
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
Originally a music teacher from Florida, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, a blues oriented alto saxophonist, made his name in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s. He joined with Miles Davis in 1957 and recorded five albums with Davis from 1958 to 1959. The rest of the time Adderley worked on his own Quintet Project. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in his home state of Florida.
Wynton Kelly
Appearing on only one track of Kind of Blue, Wynton Kelly was asked to replace pianist Bill Evans on the song, "Freddie Freeloader". Kelly, born in Jamiaca, was a sideman for numerous jazz giants including Dinah Washington, John Coltrane, Charlie Mingus, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie. Before his untimely death at the age of 39, Kelly had become one of the more accomplished jazz piano soloists in the New York scene.
Paul Chambers
Multi-instrumentalist, Paul Chambers, is known for his influential work as a jazz bassist. His improvisational skills and consistent timing led to Chambers becoming one of the most sought out bassists during his short career. In 1955 at the age of 20, Chambers joined the Miles Davis’ sextet. He would be the first jazz bassist to be noted to be both an arco and a pizzicato soloist. Chambers would die at the young age of 33.
Jimmy Cobb
Drummer, Jimmy Cobb, is the last surviving player of the Kind of Blue recording session. Born in Washington D.C., Cobb worked with Miles Davis from 1957 to 1963. Along with recording Kind of Blue, Cobb was a part of numerous Miles Davis albums including Porgy and Bess (1958) and Sketches of Spain (1960). After 1963, Cobb went on to work with Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers. He is currently on a Kind of Blue performance tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album.
