The Miles Davis Story
Trumpeter-bandleader Miles Davis (1926-91) was a catalyst for the major  innovations in post-bop, cool jazz, hard-bop, and jazz-fusion, and his wispy and  emotional trumpet tones were some of the most evocative sounds ever heard. He  was also one of the most identifiable and misunderstood pop icons of the 20th  century. This engrossing British documentary shows the complex layers of this  magnificent and mercurial artist. Through rare footage and interviews, we learn  of Davis's middle-class upbringing and his early days with bop legends Dizzy  Gillespie and Charlie Parker. The documentary bluntly deals with Davis's  narcotic nadir and his rise from the depths to become a bona fide jazz icon in  the mid-'50s to late '60s. But the most penetrating and poignant portraits of  Davis come from musicians who played with and were influenced by him, including  Shirley Horn, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Keith Jarrett.Outstanding musical selections include modal masterpieces "So What" and "Blue in  Green," the haunting soundtrack to the 1957 French filmAscenseur pour  l'échafaud, his romantic rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," and  his collaborations with arranger Gil Evans. The most surprising aspects of  Davis's personality that emerge from this film are his shyness, vulnerability,  and, yes, humility. As he said himself, "Don't call me a legend. Call me Miles  Davis."--Eugene Holley Jr.