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miles davis, john coltrane, jazz figures, etc

the state i am in

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miles
'trane
monk
hancock
mingus

thoughts?
 

the state i am in

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i'm guessing coltrane is an infp?

monk is an obvious N. the perception of the extremely intelligent and educated jazz cat.

bird is an infp. dizzy? bud powell? bill evans? sonny rollins?
 

LadyJaye

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Would you not think that Miles Davis was an ISFP? He was such an artist, not just a musician, you know?

John Coltrane ( who was born and raised in my state, btw, along with Thelonius Monk, just to brag a bit . ) seemed very introverted to me, but relatively solid, like maybe an ISFJ? Artistic and warm but not flighty.

I was wondering about most of those jazz/big band guys, like Duke Ellington, et all. What do you think?
 

the state i am in

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miles very well could have that isfp cockiness. very concrete, is what it is kind of guy. i struggle to see coltrane as an isfj, but you seem to have a wider range of isfj archetypes in your head than me. i think of coltrane more as an N. for me isfj is reserved for the sheryl crows of the world.

i only read miles autobiography a long long time ago. i can't remember the personalities of these other musicians very well. i'd imagine a lot of big band leaders would be extroverts. dizzy, for instance.

herbie hancock i could easily see as an enfp.
 

Nonsensical

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Miles Davis is probably my number one hero. He really inspired me to learn trumpet, and have not regretted picking it up even after 8 years.

It's funny...for some reason he has always given off a very very strong ISTP vibe. The King of Cool; mellow, layed back, but at the same time brilliant and smooth. It's a sweet dynamic..and he was one of the greatest guys in Jazz/Blues culture. Kind of Blue is probably my most favorite song ever.

Y'knaw what? I'm feeling a Miles Davis Avatar. Talk about being easily inspired. :)
 

Happyman

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JAZZ.. :yay:

Would you not think that Miles Davis was an ISFP? He was such an artist, not just a musician, you know?

Hm.. there's one thing about Miles that makes me think he may be an extrovert and even a J maybe. He was the best organizer the jazz scene has ever seen! He managed to pull all the great ones to play with him. Literally every good jazzman played went 'through' his band to fame. He organized tours, took care of everything. He was also pissed at other musicians who couldn't practice enough, he didn't tolerate heroin addicts (after he got clean of course ;) ) etc. It's not very probable, but I wouldn't be surprised if he'd turned out to be ESFJ.

John Coltrane ( who was born and raised in my state, btw, along with Thelonius Monk, just to brag a bit . ) seemed very introverted to me, but relatively solid, like maybe an ISFJ? Artistic and warm but not flighty.

I'd say Coltrane is ISFP. And an ISFP^2 too. ;) He just lived through music. He mastered saxophone to an unbelievable level (ISTP maaaybee..? but rather not, he was very religious and in a very similar way to Dostoevsky who's the most famous ISFP, I think). He was practicing all the time.

My favourite anecdote about Miles and Coltrane, that says A LOT about these two, goes like this:
Coltrane was practicing all the time (some of the Miles Davies quintet members say, they were witnesses that he played 11 hours straight without eating or even resting). His solos lasted for long, long time. One time he confessed to Miles: 'I never know when to stop playing, when the solo should finish.' To which Miles responded with: 'Just take this damned saxophone out of your mouth!'. :D

BTW - my favourite jazz album of all time is: Coltrane's 'Blue Train'. I got the anecdote from it's sleeve (the Polish edition).
 

Kingfisher

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i agree Happyman, i think Coltrane is an ISFP. i really get that feeling from him. Eric Dolphy also seems like an ISFP to me, or maybe an INFP.
Mingus, ENTP.
Monk seems like an ENTJ, maybe?
 

Killjoy

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I already posted elsewhere my argument for Coltrane as INFJ, so I don't want to go over it again, but I stand by it.

I agree with Mingus being ENTP, but Monk is almost a sterotype of an INTP musician - Dishevled, Brilliant and a total enigma to everybody (not to mention a recluse).

Davis seems impossible to pin down.

How about Ornette Coleman?
 

Speed Gavroche

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Fats Waller was probably ESFP lol.:D
 

LotsOfHeart

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Miles Davis - INFJ all the way. DEFINITELY introverted (think his 1975 retirement), definitely intuitive (he was always looking to the future to see how he could change and evolve musically). He was a feeling person because he let strong emotions (such as sadness and anger) overwhelm him. Lastly, I'd say he was a judger because he did stick to his commitments strongly, although he wasn't the biggest judger in the world.

Coltrane, ISFP is possible...But I would think again that he was probably an N overall...INFP then maybe? INFJ also possible, for sure. I think he's either ISFP, INFP or INFJ.

Monk, INFP...I think.

Mingus...Maybe an INTP? Definitely Fe in there, probably introverted thinking.

Herbie Hancock...Probably an INxJ. ??

Bird, INFP.

Bill Evans, INTJ.

Clifford Brown, INFP.

Dizzy Gillespie - ESFP
 

You

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In Miles Davis' interviews, there is a lot to be found. The man was a very interesting character. Very laid-back. Always telling it like it was, or like how he saw it. I just have a very hard time seeing him as anything other than an SP of some sort. Even with his intuitive mind, and skill, I feel a lot of that was grown out of his appreciation of the arts - not so much his actions.

So, I'd say ISFP. Right now, I'm listening to his records...So I got inspired to find this thread and learn more about him on the MBTI side of things while I write.
 

KDude

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I thought Coltrane was ISFP too, but Miles I'm not so sure about. Definite introvert, but not sure about the rest.
 

You

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People don't want to talk about Miles. I do. ISFP? Totally. Often ISFP is considered that person who is the most extroverted of the introverts, and most socially well adjusted - just by nature. When reading about Miles' past, and his own interpetation of his life, not only his arts, he conducts himself in such a way. Plus, he has a way of being cold and going too far with his "cool". Its crazy.

And I like it. Matter fact, I appreciate it. At the same time, I have a hard time seeing Coltrane being alone that same wavelength in terms of how he conducts himself. MBTI doesn't tell it all. Experiences change people. Personalities can't describe people completely, yet Coltrane seem far more methodical. Even to the point of him being an ISTJ, or ISTP. Even an N can be thrown in there.
 

KDude

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It isn't that I don't want to talk about him... The guy's mysterious :cool: That's all I'm saying.

I never saw him as very extroverted, even for an introvert.. he could be at shows and completely diss people who paid for tickets.. he'd just stand there and not play.. I remember reading a comment from one of his friends saying he'd do that because he did everything on his own time. That's hardcore.. I don't like entertaining either, but it's pretty extreme if it was your "career" or whatnot and you had paying fans, who meant nothing bad by "expecting" a performance.

Anyways, whatever that is, it's introversion, and probably Fi. Just not sure about S.. He was a pioneer in fusing vastly different motifs and genres and all that, and that could be a tertiary Ni, I guess.
 

You

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Not you. I'm talking in general. I necrod this thread.
 

didieryon

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I'm pretty sure that Lester Young was an INFP. I've red his biography and he has all the typic traits of this personality. I say it as an INFP male.
 
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