Miles, 2001

Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. With his ever-changing directions in music, Davis was at the forefront of a number of major stylistic developments in jazz over his five-decade career. Davis began performing with saxophonist Charlie Parker in New York in the 1940s before recording the Birth of the Cool sessions for Capitol Records, which were instrumental to the development of “cool jazz.” He also recorded some of the earliest “hard bop” music, and his genius for innovation attracted collaborations with the other giants of 50’s and 60’s jazz, including John Coltrane, bassist Paul Chambers, and pianist Bill Evans.

In addition to being recognized as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, Davis also worked brilliantly with younger musicians and had a major impact on ‘pop music.” Rolling Stone described Davis as "the most revered jazz trumpeter of all time, not to mention one of the most important musicians of the 20th century.”

With this sculpture, Raimondi wanted to capture the deep-rooted strength Davis brought to jazz from his classical training at Julliard, as well as his unique virtuosity and adaptability in creating his remarkably broad range of musical expressions.