[1] The family relocated to Denver, Colorado, when he was eleven,[3][5] partly because his parents thought the mountain climate would be better for his asthma.

[3] He also received national recognition playing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ginger Baker, and the Bill Frisell Quartet.

[6] His third album, My Cruel Heart (1996), saw him delve into his unique flair of modern creative jazz combined with rock influences.

[4][6] He wrote the album as a tribute to his father, who died in 2018, and recorded it with Frisell (guitar), Jason Moran (piano), Thomas Morgan (bass), and Brian Blade (drums).

[5][6] The quintet – which started performing together in 2016 – later became the first ensemble to play in front of an audience at the Village Vanguard after 18 months of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[4][5] Miles died on the evening of March 8, 2022, at his home in Denver from complications of polycythemia vera, a rare form of blood cancer.