Unit4+1Context

**Read the background information on Miles Davis and the album 'A Kind of Blue' Document his: **
 * You need to consider and document the contextual issues associated with this work **

Miles Davis was influenced by his trumpet teacher, Elwood Buchanan because he taught him to play without vibrato and Davis embraced the tone color of non-vibrato playing. Most soloists around the time played with vibrato so it was a unique sound for the time, and it became his signature sound. This sound produces a very cool and laid back style which is found in most of the songs on 'Kind of Blue', especially in 'So What' and 'All Blues'.
 * Musical background and how it has influenced these songs: **

Clark Terry
 * People who influenced Miles Davis, how they influenced him, and how these influences are apparent in the two songs: **

Davis and worked with Chambers, Coltrane and Evans previously and had admired their style. He hand picked them to work with recording the album., so as to create a distinctive cool, modal jazz sound. HE ALSO CHOSE THEM FOR THEY WERE HIGHLY SKILLED MUSICIANS who could crete a fresh sound from recording the songs in one take. All of these musicians had influenced his playing in the past.

Davis worked with Bill Evans and the album was planned around Evans's piano style which had a heavy focus on harmony and rhythm. His trumpet teacher when he was young showed him not to use vibrato, thus enhancing his playing style. through that the cool, distinctive Davis style is evident within both works.
 * Other musicians Davis worked with and how their influence can be heard in the two songs: **
 * Personal problems and how these impacted on the creation of these songs: **

He used non-vibrato in his songs as his signature style, and made his mark by using silent spaces in his solos, and made the songs more relaxed laid back feel. He also played in a lower register.
 * Personal styles and how these can be heard in the two songs **

** Circumstances which led to this album being created and the manner in which it was created: ** Little information or rehearsal provided for the musicians. Davis provided a skeletal framework which the musicians only saw upon their arrival to the studio. this helped crete the fresh, improvised sound Davis wanted. Partly because of this, the album featured the style of improvisational jazz and influenced other musicians. --We can hear this in the long extended solo's in all musicians. Most of each song consists of solos. WHile each musician creates their own individual song.









For more information, visit [|http://www.milesdavis.com/bio.asp