The 100th anniversary of Miles Dewey Davis III’s birthday is May 26. Three and a half decades after his passing, the trumpeter and bandleader’s ever-evolving music sounds as invigorating as ever. Since he often had the best recording technology and producers at his disposal (particularly the fabled Teo Macero), the experience of simply listening to Davis remains a pleasure. His forward-thinking music transcends eras.
There will be celebrations of the man’s music around the world this year, including the promising “Unlimited Miles” performance as part of the Denver Jazz Fest in April, and Davis’ primary record label, Columbia, has just made some of his most rewarding work readily available again.
“The Complete Live at The Plugged Nickel 1965” went out of print shortly after it was released in 1995. Copies of the vinyl and CD box sets have been difficult to obtain, but as of this week, you could own the physical product if you missed out the first time.
And if you’re a fan, you really should. This is dynamic music, recorded at a Chicago club when the members of Davis’ “Second Great Quintet” decided to take the well-worn standards they had been performing and spontaneously reinvent them with speed and passion. Part of the joy of these well-recorded live dates is absorbing the way the musicians challenged one another.
Davis is in good form, ornery and vulnerable at the same time, saying more with his horn than anyone could with words. But what truly animates this music is his band members, who are all in the relatively early stages of their careers. Drummer Tony Williams is combustible. Bassist Ron Carter daringly holds these performances together. Herbie Hancock, still brilliant in 2026, was already an inventive virtuoso. And the explosive solos created by saxophonist Wayne Shorter are a constant revelation. Itap hard to imagine these artists made so much valuable music over the course of only two nights, but the evidence is here. This is the sound of five musicians not only pushing themselves, but also genuinely listening to one another.
Sure, the “Kind of Blue” album is where to start with Miles Davis. And I have an affinity for his thunderous, electric ’70s albums. But when I want to hear him cook on trumpet, “Plugged Nickel” is what I’ll pull off the shelf.
Live jazz performances in February:
Local tenor sax master Keith Oxman appears at Denver’s Nocturne on Feb. 1. … Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez, both born and raised in Havana, perform at Dazzle as a duo at 6:30 and 9 p.m. on Feb. 3. … Saxophonist Nelson Rangell returns to the Dazzle stage on Feb. 21, and historic bassist Eddie Gomez — the anchor for groups led by Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Marian McPartland — arrives with his trio on the 26th. … The Denver Jazz Fest will take place April 7-12 at different venues in the metro area, featuring performances from Pat Metheny, Bob James, Carmen Lundy, Jose James, Branford Marsalis, Fred Hersch and others. Get tickets and information at denverjazz.org.
