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The Picasso of jazz passed away 20 years ago. Countless columns will no doubt be devoted to the anniversary. He’ll be remembered fondly as a musician of genius who was at the forefront of bebop, hard-bop, orchestral jazz, modal jazz, jazz-rock fusion and techno-funk. He’ll also be remembered for often scabrous behaviour, particularly the abuse he heaped upon the women in his life. Two decades after his death, Davis continues to be revered and reviled in equal measure. A complex character, he was both quasar of cool and prince of darkness. Between the light and the dark, however, there are many reasons to remember him. Here are nine of the less obvious ones. Feel free to suggest a 10th …
His explosive wit:
Davis was a man of few words. When he did speak, his words often had a similar effect to a hand grenade being lobbed into the room. In 1987, he was invited to a White House dinner by Ronald Reagan. Few of the guests appeared to know who he was. During dinner, Nancy Reagan turned to him and asked what he’d done with his life to merit an invitation. Straight-faced, Davis replied: “Well, I’ve changed the course of music five or six times. What have you done except fuck the president?”
