Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 September 28, 1991) was one
of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th
century. A trumpeter, bandleader and composer, Davis was at the
forefront of almost every major development in jazz after World
War II. He played on some of the important early bebop records
and recorded the first cool jazz records. He was partially
responsible for the development of modal jazz, and jazz fusion
arose from his work with other musicians in the late 1960s and
early 1970s. Free jazz was the only post-war style not
significantly influenced by Davis, although some musicians from
his bands later pursued this style. His recordings, along with
the live performances of his many influential bands, were vital
in jazz's acceptance as music with lasting artistic value. A
popularizer as well as an innovator, Davis became famous for his
languid, melodic style and his laconic, and at times
confrontational, personality. As an increasingly well-paid and
fashionably-dressed jazz musician,