On May 26, 2026, music fans around the world will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis — the legendary jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader whose life stands as one of the defining stories in American music. This week on Echoes of Indiana Avenue, we’ll celebrate Davis’ centennial by listening to his work with the legendary Naptown trombonist J. J. Johnson.
Born in Alton, Illinois and raised in East St. Louis, Illinois, Davis came of age during a transformative era in jazz. After moving to New York City to study at Juilliard School, he immersed himself in the bebop scene alongside innovators like Charlie Parker, launching a career defined by constant reinvention. From “Birth of the Cool” to “Kind of Blue,” “In a Silent Way,” and “Bitches Brew,” each landmark session helped redefine the direction of jazz — and a century after his birth, his work continues to shape the music.
Throughout his career, Davis collaborated with some of the greatest names in jazz — including: John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, John McLaughlin, and Ron Carter, and Naptown’s own J.J. Johnson, the pioneering composer and trombonist who transformed the role of his instrument in modern jazz.
J.J. Johnson was born in Indianapolis in 1924 and trained at Crispus Attucks High School. He began his career playing on Indiana Avenue before leaving the city with the Snookum Russell band. From the late 1940s through the early 1960s, Johnson and Davis collaborated frequently, their work together traced jazz music's evolution from bebop through cool jazz and third stream music.
Join host Rodney Stepp for classic music from J.J. Johnson and Miles Davis.
