September 28, 1991

The Great Chief, Miles Dewey Davis III, passed away on September 28, 1991. I remember this day well since it was a few days before my birthday. I had become a Miles Davis fan many years prior since listening to him motivated me to pick up an instrument I had not played since junior high school.

What I admired most about Miles was his ability to re-invent himself over the course of his career that spanned nearly 50 years. He decided to take a self-imposed hiatus for five years. I read his autobiography like it was a bible for maintaining an edge and always pushing.

Because this date impacted me so much, I started my Great Trumpet Quest on that day. I was staying in upstate New York at the time working with Eastman Kodak. I was anxiously waiting for him to announce his next NYC concert and making every effort to attend.

I realized then that you have to take every opportunity to experience things in the moment. Since then, I have seen Wynton Marsalis, Kermit Ruffins, Kid Chocolate, Nicolas Peyton, Russel Gunn, Dizzy Gillespie, and many other notable non-trumpet players.