🎷 AotW: Jazz Miles Davis - BIRTH OF THE COOL

[Captain Bacardi]

Miles Davis
BIRTH OF THE COOL
Capitol Records

Released 1957

Produced by Pete Rugolo

Songs:

1. Move (Denzil Best) - 2:32
2. Jeru (Gerry Mulligan) - 3:10
3. Moon Dreams (Chummy MacGregor/Johnny Mercer) - 3:17
4. Venus De Milo (Gerry Mulligan) - 3:10
5. Budo (Bud Powell/Miles Davis) - 2:32
6. Deception (Miles Davis) - 2:45
7. Godchild (George Wallington) - 3:07
8. Boplicity (Cleo Henry) - 2:59
9. Rocker (Gerry Mulligan) - 3:03
10. Israel (Johnny Carisi) - 2:15
11. Rouge (John Lewis) - 3:13
12. Darn That Dream (Delange/Van Huesen) - 3:26
​

Musicians:
Miles Davis - Trumpet with:

Tracks 1, 2, 5, 7 - Recorded January 21, 1949, in New York City:
Kai Winding - Trombone
Junior Collins - French Horn
John Barber - Tuba
Lee Konitz - Alto Sax
Gerry Mulligan - Baritone Sax
Al Haig - Piano
Joe Shulman - Bass
Max Roach - Drums

Tracks 4, 8, 10, 11 - Recorded April 22, 1949, in New York City:
J.J. Johnson - Trombone
Sandy Siegelstein - French Horn
John Barber - Tuba
Lee Konitz - Alto Sax
Gerry Mulligan - Baritone Sax
John Lewis - Piano
Nelson Boyd - Bass
Kenny Clarke - Drums

Tracks 3, 6, 9, 12* - Recorded March 9, 1950, in New York City:
J.J. Johnson - Trombone
Gunther Schuller - French Horn
John Barber - Tuba
Lee Konitz - Alto Sax
Gerry Mulligan - Baritone Sax
Al McKibbon - Bass
Max Roach - Drums
Kenny Hagood - Vocal*

Liner Notes by Pete Welding
Reissue Liner Notes added by Gerry Mulligan (1971)

This album available at Amazon.com (with samples) at: http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Cool-Miles-Davis/dp/B00005614M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1387422512&sr=1-1&keywords=miles davis birth of the cool





Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The tracks recorded in 1949 were released in late '49 on those old 10" records. In 1957 this particular LP was released. There has been another release called The Complete Birth Of The Cool that had live performances of this music.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

This recording of "Move" was recreated by Manhattan Transfer on Vocalese (including all the horn solos).

It's good, but not one I go to very often. Definitely a milestone set of recordings!

 

[Dave]

Like it says: "The Birth Of The Cool", in which Miles continues to serve up more Jazz that swings, defining more of a musical adventure than most artists, in cobining his own originals w/ those of his contemporaries (such as Gerry Mulligan) and even a couple Pop Standards...

Witness, also the version of "Israel", predating the version by JJ & Kai, and just as spectacular, on Davis's trumpet...!


-- Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

An early Miles classic. Tight arrangements with minimal solo space. Kind of a "say what you gotta say and get out of the way" type of charts. In some instances this is a better way to listen to a jazz solo. Keep it brief and to the point. A masterful job by everyone.

There are some jazz purists who have insisted that this was really a Gerry Mulligan date, but since Miles had "the name" it was released as a Miles Davis album. I don't know how true that is, but Mulligan certainly was busy with arrangements he would soon be well known for at this time.



Capt. bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I think the short tunes are indicative of the sessions originally being released on 78RPM records--3 minutes, I believe, was the time limit for those. The long-playing record revolutionized jazz recordings by allowing 15 minutes or more per side of a record. I must say, though, that the economy of having to say what is needed in a three-minute time span is refreshing.