THINKING ABOUT JAZZ - April 25, 2026 - 1pm - Miles Davis

Muneer Nasser will bring this informative presentation.  He writes:   

Miles  Davis had a unique tone and style which inspired me as a young  trumpeter. “Workin and Steamin,” the great prestige double album  featuring John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul chambers and Philly Joe Jones  is a certified masterpiece. The unit embodied all the virtues of a working band, cohesion, call and response phrasing and swing: they set the pace for small ensembles.

Moreover,  Miles’ evolution as a musician and band leader tells a fascinating tale  of transcending odds, limitations and early critics and achieving  greatness. My father, Jamil Nasser,  knew Miles but was a close associate of Garland, Coltrane, Chambers and  Jones. Davis admired the Memphis musicians, and he hired George Coleman  for his legendary 1963 quartet. I will address these topics  interspersed with musical examples and interview clips. Ahmad Jamal had a  great influence on Miles and Jamil Nasser has special insight into the chromatic and dynamic devices Miles adopted from Jamal.