Henderson, Michael, 148
Hendrix, Jimi, 132, 136–37, 161, 174
Heroin use, 120–21
Hicks, John, 148, 149–50
Hip-hop, 44, 74, 75; of On the Corner, 146
Hirt, Al, 6
Hoffman, Dustin, 150
Holzman, Adam, 50
Homeboys (East St. Louis), 2, 3–4
Horses, 49–50
“Human Nature,” 152
“If I Were a Bell,” 144
In a Silent Way (Davis), 135–36, 164
Interviews: for “The Miles Davis Radio Project,” 83–85, 86; for Studio Museum series, 78–81; with Time magazine, 25; with Troupe for Spin, 23, 27–34, 39
“Intro M D 1,” 152
“Intruder,” 89
Isham, Mark, 163
Issey Miyake fashion, 88
“It Gets Better,” 152
Jack Johnson (Davis), 143
Jack-salmon fish sandwiches, 111, 112
Jackson, Michael, xi, 55, 130, 174, 179
Jackson, Milt “Bags,” 119
Jackson, Muyungo, 89
Jagger, Mick, 150
Japanese tour (1981), 23, 151
Jazz: black ownership of, 34; fused with funk, 145, 146–47; fused with rock, 131–32, 136, 141, 142–43; institutional denigration of, 170, 171; Miles’ disdain of old, 44, 106–7, 164–65; Miles versus Marsalis on, 32–34, 87, 172–73; older audiences of, 137–38; Troupe’s first experiences with, 111–14, 119–20
Jazz Track (Davis), 125
“Jean-Pierre,” 152
Johnson, Bumpy, 56
Johnson, Robert, 167
“Jo-Jo,” 74
Jones, Darryl, 52, 53
Jones, Philly Joe, 11, 41, 70, 93, 123, 161
Jones, Quincy, 76, 103, 106, 150
Juneteenth (Ellison), 155
Kaplan, Iris, 157
Kaplan, Lenny, 157
Kassav (West Indian band), 57–58, 155
“Katia,” 152
Kennedy, John F., 131
Kennedy, Robert F., 131
Keppard, Freddie, 5
Kilgallen, Dorothy, 128
Kind of Blue (Davis), 125–26, 138, 164, 185
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 131
Kix Club (Boston), 23, 150
Knights of Malta (Alhambra Palace, Granada), 76
Kohshin Satoh fashion show, 66–67
Kool Jazz Festival (New York City): in 1974, 147–49; in 1981, 23, 150–51; in 1989, 87–90
Langlais, Rudy, 39
Larrain, Gilles, 93
Laveau, Marie (Voodoo Queen), 6
Lee, Spike, 101
Lincoln, Abbey, 151
Lincoln Center’s Jazz Program, 170, 171, 172, 173
Little Richard, 116
“Little Stuff” (“Petits Machins”), 135
Live Around the World (Davis), 154, 155
Live-Evil (Davis), 143
Lloyd, Charles, 136
Louis, Joe, 31
Lucas, Reggie, 148
Mabry, Betty, 135
Madison, Levi, 5
Madonna, 65
Mailer, Norman, vii
Maitland, Leo, 22, 29; parties thrown by, 9, 15, 19
“Make a Difference” ads, 163
Malcolm X, 130, 167, 170
Malibu home of Miles, 42, 49–50
Mandel, Howard, 149
Mangione, Chuck, 32
Manhattan: Kohshin Satoh fashion show in, 66–67; Miles’ apartment in, 25–26; and On the Corner, 145–46; and “Pharoah’s Dance,” 141; sightings of Miles in, 9–10
The Man with a Horn (Davis), 23, 150–51
Marching bands, 4–6
Marithe Girbaud fashion, 88
Marsalis, Branford, 150, 155
Marsalis, Wynton, 6, 150; institutional promotion of, 171; Miles’ jazz philosophy versus, 31–34, 87, 172–73; 1989 Kool Jazz concert of, 88
Mati, Abdul, 140
Maupin, Benny, 142
McCoy, Corky, 145
McLaughlin, John, 142, 164
McLean, Jackie, 118, 134, 150
McPhatter, Clyde, 113
Meadowlands Stadium, Amnesty International concert (1986), 65–66
Meltzer, Gordon, 71–72, 78
Michael (Miles’ valet), 29, 35
Mikell’s, x, xi
Mikkelborg, Palle, 154
Miles, Jason, 50
Miles: The Autobiography (Troupe), 54; book tours for, 81–82; cover photo for, 93–94; critics on, 93; Miles’ response to, 91–92; public reaction to, 90–91
Miles Ahead (Davis), 172
Miles and Monk at Newport (Davis), 125
“The Miles Davis Radio Project,” 82–86
“Miles Runs the Voodoo Down,” 142
Milestones (Davis), 123, 125
Miller, Henry, vii
Miller, Marcus, 50, 52, 58, 73, 151
Mingus, Charlie, 68–69
Minton’s jazz club (Harlem), 75
Modal music, 124, 131
Monk, Thelonious, xi, -1, 41, 70, 123, 161; on “Bags Groove,” 119; on cover of Time, 25
Montreux Jazz Festival (1991), 106
Motown label, 132
Moyers, Bill, 91
Mozart, 44, 175
Mtume, 93, 148, 151
Multiculturalism, 126–27, 149, 165
Murphy, Eddie, 32
Murray, Albert, 172, 173
Mute, on ballads, 2, 124
“My Funny Valentine,” 144
Navarro, Fats, 161
NBC, 32
Neruda, Pablo, 127
“New Blues,” 88–89
New Orleans trumpet sound, 5–6
Newport Kool Jazz Festival. See Kool Jazz Festival
Newton, Huey P., 167
New York City. See Manhattan
New York Times, 82, 87
Nyro, Laura, 143
O’Guin, Thomas and Margaret, 114
“One Phone Call Street Scene,” 24, 152
On the Corner (Davis), 143, 144–47, 164
Osby, Greg, 155
Paige, Satchel, 44
Palazolla, Tom, 116
“Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” 132
Parker, Charlie “Bird,” 41, 55, 70, 81, 93, 94, 113, 118, 123, 161
Payton, Nicholas, 6
Peabody Award (1990), 82
Peacock Alley (St. Louis): Miles and Coltrane at, 10–11; Miles’ temper at, 11–15
Penn, Irving, 52
Penthouse, viii
Performances: 1956 at Peacock Alley, 10–11; 1958 at Sutherland Lounge, 123–25; 1974 Kool Jazz concert, 147–49; 1981 Kool Jazz concert, 23, 150–51; 1981 Japanese tour, 151; 1986 Meadowlands concert, 65–66; 1989 Kool Jazz concert, 87–90; at Pointe-à-Pitre, 97
“Petits Machins” (“Little Stuff”), 135
“Pharaoh’s Dance,” 141
Picasso, Pablo, 55, 127, 174–75
The Platters, 113
Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), 97
Police abuse, 152–53
Porgy and Bess (Davis), 125
Porter, Margaret, viii
Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 167
Powell, Bud, 134, 161
“The Power of the Word” (PBS series), 91
Presley, Elvis, 116
Prince, the artist formerly known as, 44, 55, 81, 103, 104, 167
Pryor, Richard, 32
Racism: Birdland incident of, 128–29; of California policemen, 152–53; Miles on, 32–34; and objections to Miles’ music, 170, 171–72, 174–75; role of, in music industry, 33–34, 116–17, 170; and self-hatred, 54–55; Troupe’s early experiences with, 114–16
Randle, Eddie (Troupe’s cousin), 5, 30–31, 178, 179
Raoul’s restaurant (Soho district), 102
Rap, 44, 74–76
Record albums: Amandla, 58, 74, 90, 108, 154–55, 163; Aura, 154; Bags Groove, 119–21; Big Fun, 143; Bitches Brew, 129, 137–43, 164; Circle in the Round, 143; Cookin’, 123; Decoy, 23, 152, 163; doo-bop, 155; Filles de Kil
imanjaro, 135, 164; Four and More, 172; Get Up with It, 143; In a Silent Way, 135–36, 164; Jack Johnson, 143; Jazz Trunk, 125; Kind of Blue, 125–26, 137, 164; Live Around the World, 154, 155; Live-Evil, 143; The Man with a Horn, 23, 150–51; Miles Ahead, 172; Miles and Monk at Newport, 125; Milestones, 123, 125; On the Corner, 143, 144–47, 164; Porgy and Bess, 125; Relaxin’, 123; Round Midnight, 123; Siesta, 73–74; Sketches of Spain, 73, 74, 129–30, 131; Star People, 23, 152; Steamin’, 123; Tutu, 36, 50–52, 74, 154, 163; We Want Miles, 23, 151; Workin’, 123; You’re Under Arrest, 23, 24, 152–53
Recordings: for Columbia Records, 23, 153; computer programming of, 50–51; crossover success of, 129–30, 131; by first quintet/sextet, 123; Grammy Awards for, 74, 151, 152; improvisational environment for, 164; of 1980s comeback period, 23, 150–53; by stock recording band, 143–44; for Warner Records, 36, 154
Reed, Ishmael, 167
Relaxin’ (Davis), 123
Rhythm and blues, 113, 131, 138. See also Rock
Rietveld, Benny, 89
Ritchie, Lionel, 103
Roach, Max, 81, 150, 161; on hip-hop and rap, 75; on Miles’ basic quarter note, 165–66
Robeson, Paul, 117, 118, 167
Robinson, Sugar Ray, 31
Rock: fused with jazz, 131–32, 136, 141, 142–43; group ensemble sound of, 143, 165; younger audiences of, 138
Rolling Stone, viii, ix,
Rollins, Sonny, 10–11, 150–51
Round Midnight (Davis), 123
Rowland, Steve, 82–86
“Running” style: of black marching bands, 5; of Miles’ solos, 2, 124, 165–66; New Orleans style compared to, 5–6
Sanchez-Gordon, Teresa, 86, 103–4
“Sanctuary,” 142
San Francisco Chronicle, 82
Santana, Carlos, 66, 143, 144
Schukat, Peter, 105, 106
Scofield, John, 52
Second quintet/sextet, 133–35, 142
Shakur, Tupac, 167
Sheen, Bishop Fulton, 34
“Sheets of sound” style, 124, 132
Sheila E., 151
Shorter, Wayne, 93, 134, 142, 164
Siesta (Davis), 73–74
Siesta (film), 73–74
Simon and Schuster, 39, 82
Sketches of Spain (Davis), 73, 74, 129–30, 131
Skin color concerns, 4, 53, 54–55, 168–69
Sly and the Family Stone, 132, 136
Smith, Leo, 163
Smith, Leona (Troupe’s grandmother), 114
Snipes, Wesley, 101
Solos: on Aura, 154; within group ensemble, 143; on In a Silent Way, 136; of modal period, 124
Sony ads, 163
“Spanish Key,” 142
“Speak,” 152
Spin magazine, viii, ix, xiii, 177, 179; Spin interview, 23, 27–34, 39, 178, 181
St. Louis: black marching bands of, 4–6; cultural roots of, 6–7; fish joint in, 111–12; Miles’ homeboys from, 2, 3–4; Peacock Alley in, 10–11; Troupe family’s status in, 115
The Star, AIDS story in, 76–77
“Star People,” 152
Star People (Davis), 23, 152
Steamin’ (Davis), 123
Stern, Mike, 52, 151
Sting, 52, 65, 152
Stockhausen, 153
Studio Museum (Harlem) interview, 78–81
Sutherland Lounge (Chicago), 123–25
Tate, Greg, 149
Taylor, Elizabeth, 150
Taylor, Frances (Miles’ first wife), 128
Terry, Clark, 5, 150, 159, 161
“That’s Right,” 152
“Theme for Augustine; Wind; Seduction; Kiss,” 73
Thriller (Michael Jackson), 174
Time, 130; Miles’ interview with, 25
“Time After Time,” 152
Trim-DaCosta, Sandra, 23, 179–80
Troupe, Albert (Troupe’s uncle), 118
Troupe, Allen (Troupe’s uncle), 114
Troupe, Donald (Troupe’s cousin), 12
Troupe, Ernest (Troupe’s distant cousin), 115
Troupe, James “Pal” (Troupe’s uncle), 115, 118
Troupe, Margaret (Troupe’s wife), 31, 94, 108; at Kool Jazz concerts, 87–88, 90, 151; Miles’ respect for, 97–101; news of Miles’ stroke from, 157–58; on Spin interview, 39; at Studio Museum interview, 79, 80; at Tutu video party, 102–3
Troupe, Marvin (Troupe’s cousin), 11, 19, 118–19, 120, 121
Troupe, Porter (Troupe’s son), 45–49
Troupe, Quincy: acupuncture treatments for, 68; artistic/political transitions of, 125–27, 130–31, 132–33; dreadlocks of, 27, 28–29; driving Miles’ Ferrari, 42–43; early racism experiences of, 114–16; first jazz-listening experiences of, 111–14, 119–20; in first meeting with Miles, 9, 15–17; hearing Miles’ performances, 10–15, 87–90, 123–25, 151; hero worship of Miles by, 121–22, 127, 133; and John Hicks incident, 147–50; interviewing Miles, 23, 27–34, 39, 78–81; meeting Jimi Hendrix, 136–37; at Miles’ birthday parties, 103–4; Miles book project of, 39–40, 81–82, 90–94; “The Miles Davis Radio Project” of, 82–86; Miles’ first dismissal of, 18–21; Miles playing head games with, 59–64; Miles’ rage at, over Jo Gelbard, 107–9; Miles’ rage at, over old jazz, 106–7; musical tastes of, 52–53, 57–58, 75–76, 132–33; nonuse of heroin by, 121; Peabody Award to, 82; reacting to Miles’ dying, 158–60; riding horses with Miles, 49–50; role models for, 117–18, 127; and Steve Rowland incident, 82–86; Saab car of, 35–36; at Tutu video party, 101–3
Troupe, Quincy Brandon (Troupe’s son), 75, 105–6
Troupe, Timothy (Troupe’s brother), 114, 115
Troupe, Tymmie (Troupe’s daughter), 75
Trouppe, Quincy (Troupe’s father), 115
Trumpet playing: New Orleans versus St. Louis style of, 5–6; “running” style of, 2, 124, 165–66; in second quintet period, 134; for Porter Troupe, 47–48
Tunnel discotheque (Manhattan), Kohshin Satoh fashion show at, 66–67
Turner, Nat, 167
“Tutti Fruity,” 116
Tutu (Davis), 35, 163, 181; album cover of, 52; big-band sound of, 154; Grammy Award for, 74; video party, 101–2; without working band, 50–52
Tutu, Bishop Desmond, 50, 154
Tyner, McCoy, 60–63
Tyson, Cicely, 32, 33; Miles’ marriage to, 23, 67–69; and The Star article, 77
U2, 65
Van Der Zee, James, x
Vanity Fair, 90
Veil Prophet Parade (St. Louis), 6
Versace, Gianni, 77
Versace fashion, 88
Village Voice, viii, x, 39, 82, 177
“Vital Expressions in American Art” (Studio Museum series), Miles’ interview for, 78–81
Walcott, Derek, 127
“Walkin’,” 119
Warhol, Andy, 66–67
Warner Records, 32, 36, 154
Watrous, Peter, 87
Watts Writers Workshop, 133
Webster, Freddie, 161
Wellman, Ricky, 73, 74, 89, 158
We Want Miles (Davis), 23, 151
“What It Is,” 152
Wilburn, Dorothy (Miles’ sister), 73, 83, 157, 158, 159
Wilburn, Vincent (Miles’ nephew), 73, 83
Williams, Tony, 77, 93, 134, 164
Wilson, Cassandra, 163
Wilson, Jackie, 113
Women: Miles’ treatment of, 91, 169; skin color preference for, 54, 168
Workin’ (Davis), 123
World Saxophone Quartet, 58
X, Malcolm, 130, 167, 170
Yetnikoff, Walter, 102
You’re Under Arrest (Davis), 23, 24, 152–53
Zawinul, Joe, 141, 142, 164
Zouk, 57–58, 165; of Amandla, 74, 155; and rap project, 75–76
THIS COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF MILES DAVIS and me was taken by Jon Stevens in 1988 (in one sitting), in Miles’s fourteenth-floor apartment overlooking Central Park on Fifty-Ninth Street in New York City. The meeting took place in
the early afternoon and extended into the evening; the occasion was one of the final taped interviews of Davis for The Autobiography: Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe, published initially by Simon & Schuster in the fall of 1989.
Jon Stevens, a longtime friend of mine, snapped a total of ten photographs in this session, depicting Miles and me eating, looking over some of his paintings, and just simply hanging out with each other, playing around and acting foolish as close friends often do. Miles was from Alton and East St. Louis, Illinois, and I was from St. Louis, Missouri, across the Mississippi River—the river that separated Illinois and Missouri and our two cities. Added to this was the fact that the first local professional band Miles played in was my cousin Eddie Randle’s band. So, when I told him this, it was the thing that REALLY first bonded us, because Miles ALWAYS loved Eddie Randle.
Miles Davis was a very generous, exceedingly funny, beautiful spirit—a very big musical genius—one of the greatest creative musicians of all time—but very shy. He loved to eat the catfish and barbecue he always asked me to bring him whenever I came to see him. And we would eat and laugh and tell tall tales—this is what people from St. Louis and East St. Louis called them. It was my honor and an absolute privilege that he chose me to write his autobiography, and I am forever in his debt.
This is one of the ONLY pictorial records of our many meetings that I know of, so I think it is historic and I hope it adds some valuable context to this book.
Poet, teacher, and journalist QUINCY TROUPE is an alumnus of the Watts Writers Workshop and, along with his friends Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, and others, associated with the Black Arts Movement. He was named California’s first poet laureate in 2002. Miles: The Autobiography of Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe, is considered a contemporary classic of musical artist biography. Among Troupe’s many other books is his collaboration on the autobiography of Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness, which became a popular film starring Will Smith. He also wrote James Baldwin: The Legacy and Earl the Pearl: My Story by Earl Monroe and Quincy Troupe. Troupe has published many volumes of his poetry over the years and has also published several children’s books.
Former Village Voice and Spin magazine editor RUDY LANGLAIS now works as one of the few black film producers in Hollywood. Among his films are The Hurricane starring Denzel Washington and, forthcoming, Miles & Me.
DAN SIMON is founder and publisher of Seven Stories Press. He has co-edited two volumes of newly discovered writings by Nelson Algren and co-wrote a biography of activist Abbie Hoffman, Run Run Run: The Lives of Abbie Hoffman.
Miles & Me Page 17
