Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool

So dubbed because these three sessions -- two from early 1949, one from March 1950 -- are where the sound known as cool jazz essentially formed, The Birth of the Cool remains one of the defining, pivotal moments in jazz. This is where the elasticity of bop was married with skillful, big-band arrangements and a relaxed, subdued mood that made it all seem easy, even at its most intricate. After all, there's a reason why this music was called cool; it has a hip, detached elegance, never getting too hot, even as the rhythms skip and jump. Indeed, the most remarkable thing about these sessions -- arranged by Gil Evans and featuring such heavy-hitters as Kai Winding, Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz, and Max Roach -- is that they sound intimate, as the nonet never pushes too hard, never sounds like the work of nine musicians. Furthermore, the group keeps things short and concise (probably the result of the running time of singles, but the results are the same), which keeps the focus on the tones and tunes. The virtuosity led to relaxing, stylish mood music as the end result -- the very thing that came to define West Coast or "cool" jazz -- but this music is so inventive, it remains alluring even after its influence has been thoroughly absorbed into the mainstream ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Haig Piano Al McKibbon Bass Aram Avakian Cover Photo Billy Barber Tuba Franko Caligiuri Reissue Producer, Reissue Art Gerry Mulligan Arranger, Liner Notes, Sax (Baritone) Gil Evans Arranger Gordon Jee Creative Director Gunther Schuller French Horn J.J. Johnson Trombone Joe Shulman Bass John Barber Tuba John Lewis Piano, Arranger Johnny Carisi Arranger Junior Collins French Horn Kai Winding Trombone Kenny "Pancho" Hagood Vocals Kenny Clarke Drums Lee Konitz Sax (Alto) Max Roach Drums Micaela Boland Design Michael Cuscuna Reissue Producer Miles Davis Leader, Trumpet, Arranger Nelson Boyd Bass Pete Rugolo Producer Pete Welding Liner Notes Rudy Van Gelder Remastering Sandy Siegelstein French Horn Walter Rivers Producer