Miles Davis

Gillespie and Parker played in Eckstine’s band, where the school-student Davis got his first break; later in New York, he spent more time following and playing with Parker than studying. Gil Evans was a significant collaborator for 20 years, and a close friend for life. Bill Evans, Blakey, Mingus, Monk, Rollins, Silver, Jones, Coltrane and Adderley were all important sidemen in his earlier bands; Hancock and Shorter among the later ones. Vian was a ‘fixer’ during his time in Paris, and the first person to write about him. Davis’s lover Gréco introduced him to Malle, who asked him to compose the score for his directorial debut.