He left the school to play in the small clubs on the famous 52nd street. He did much of his playing with one of his idols, Charlie Parker. .
In 1945, when Miles was nine-teen he joined Parker's quintet . Together, they recorded some of the first true bebop style songs, for example "Now's the time." It was during this time that Miles Davis established his style as a jazz trumpeter. .
Bebop was a jazz style which developed in New York, at the end of World War II. It's distinctive style is created by the use of dissonant chords and complex rhythms in the improvised solos. Davis, who was always pushing the boundaries of what were the accepted styles in jazz, was at the forefront of this new style, along with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. .
In 1948 Davis formed his own nine-piece band and was again ahead of his time as he moved on from bebop to a new style called "cool" jazz. A group that made eight records. After the release of "the birth of cool" Davis became extremely popular. It seemed like over night that almost everyone wanted to be like Miles, and the imitated him in a variety of ways. The jazz style known as "cool jazz, is perceived as being subdued and understated. It is a very relaxed style of jazz which was in part founded by saxophonist Lester Young. Miles Davis was the most prominent trumpeter in the coming about of cool jazz. His trumpet playing was known for its lack of vibrato. Many other jazz trumpeters drew from his style, and tried to emulate it. .
Now famous, Miles's life took a turn for the worst. In the early 1950's his career almost ended. Some of his attempts at producing a new sound of jazz had brought his several bad reviews. As well as his drug addiction seemed to be killing him. Davis explains, .
I was in a deep fog, high all the time and pimping woman for money to support my habit through the rest of 1951 and the early part of 1952. At one point I had a whole stable of bitches out on the street for me.