Miles, the Autobiography

Writing with Troupe (editor of James Baldwin: The Legacy ), the brilliant bad man of jazz trumpetry unburdens himself of his hate and anger as well as of his good feelings about life, friendship, sex, drugs, women and cars. Unconstrained by conventional attitudes toward the publication of four- and 12-letter words, Davis delivers opinions about people in general, both white and black, music and musicians. Devoted to the creative work of Bird and Diz, he tells us that he learned phrasing by listening to Frank Sinatra and Orson Welles. Gil Evans, his best friend, was ``one of the only ones who could pick up on what I was thinking musically.'' Separation from Juliette Greco ``sent me falling down the pit and into heroin.'' Later, addicted to alcohol, tobacco and cocaine, he stopped playing for five years--but is now performing again to great acclaim. A student of boxing, Davis regards Sugar Ray Robinson as ``the most important thing in my life besides music.'' On almost any score, this is a remarkable book. Photos not seen by PW. First serial to Vanity Fair. (Oct.)