Birth Of The Cool (Rudy Van Gelder Edition)

This was certainly a very original recording, and has had heaps of praise lavished upon it ever since people became aware of its importance. It is to my mind especially remarkable for its orchestration, which was ground-breaking, and hugely accomplished as well as new in invention. But even at this level the music, excellent though it is, fills me with intellectual respect rather than that I genuinely LIKE it, which sounds almost like blasphemy to utter, and especially because I so much admire Davis, Mulligan, Evans and Lewis in other contexts. Outside the arrangements for the group, there are good but somewhat unexciting - and very short - solos. In the end one's emotional judgement really becomes a matter of subjectivity. I must confess that this is an impeccable work, and for those whose taste it is it cannot easily be over-recommended. If I fail to respond with true ardour, the fault may well be mine. - Joost Daalder

Even more than John Coltrane, Miles Davis' cultural icon status has overshadowed his music. So it's worth mentioning that he was a masterful trumpet player who explored the instrument's lower register and tended to play slower, more lyrical lines, often deeply melancholy, rather than the showers of high notes of Dizzy Gillespie and his imitators. If you're new to Miles it's easy to get confused, as he released a multitude of records during a 45-year career, in a bewildering array of different styles. Davis was at the center of almost every movement in modern jazz (except he skipped "free jazz"): early be-bop (he played with Charlie Parker in 1945); the "cool" sound; hard bop; orchestral experimentation; the "modal revolution"; fusion. He also played with most of the key jazz artists of the post-war period, and is probably the single artist who best represents the winding course jazz has taken.

I recently got this collection of sides originally released in 1949 and 1950 by the Miles Davis Nonet, not released on LP until 1957. The unusual instrumentation (with French horn and tuba) is carefully used by the arrangers (including Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan and John Lewis) to create an incredibly full sound, with a remarkable range of tonal colors. The tunes are also incredibly beautiful. The famous "cool" sound is a bit too reserved for my taste, and the arrangements have a certain Hollywood aroma, but there's no denying the power and originality of the work here. Fans may find this jarring because of its transitional nature, with obvious big band elements such as Kenny Hagood's dated-sounding vocal on "Darn That Dream." Some of the arrangements display the breathtaking complexity of later records, though.

This album not only put Miles Davis on the map, it started a whole new style of jazz music. Miles worked with Gil Evans on this 1949 project and the results were pure magic. The supporting cast of musicians are a nice group too. He even had french horn players (Junior Collins on one session, Sandy Goldstein on another and Gunther Schuller). Most of the musicians Miles worked with on this album were white, because those were the only people he could get hired at the time. Of these musicians, Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone), Lee Konitz (alto saxophone) and Kai Winding (trombone) all shine the most. Tracks like "Move" showcase the band's chemistry and innovative, playful harmonies. This song was originally recorded as a bebop tune, but Miles and company give it a little bit more of a cool, swinging style. "Jeru" is the ultimate definition of cool jazz. This Gerry Mulligan composition shows off Miles and Gerry's soloing abilities. It also has a nice theme and some good ensemble playing. "Moon Dreams" is kind of like a musical "still life", this ballad is played with a slow seriousness that makes it a classic. The ensemble playing here is beautiful. "Venus De Milo" is another Mulligan composition and has a somewhat laid-back latin feel. I like this tune because it just sounds nice to sit back and listen to. "Budo" is a classic Bud Powell tune, while this track only lasts about two and a half minutes, it's a classic instantly. The ensemble playing is very energetic and Miles, Lee Konitz and Kai Winding all take great solos. This tune was also recorded by Miles around the time of the 'Round About Midnight sessions. "Deception" is a track that Miles is given credit for writing but it's really another track called "Conception", that Miles recorded later on in the Dig session of 1951. It's a nice tune, with a kind of tension-building theme sequence, along with a nice solo from Miles. "Godchild" has a great theme because all the lower instruments play it making it a fun, playful track. Once again, Miles plays a nice solo and Kai Winding takes a good trombone solo as well. "Boplicity" has credit given to Miles Davis's mom, although she didn't actually write the piece, Miles and Gil Evans did. "Boplicity" is a masterful cool composition and has been recorded many times by other musicians. Gerry Mulligan starts it off with a great sax solo and Miles leads in with the group and then playing a good solo. Other tracks like "Rocker" and "Israel" were very influential in structure and composition, along with John Lewis's "Rouge", which has string bass played and is a very fun and amusing piece. The album ends with the Kenny Hagood vocal feature "Darn That Dream", which is a slow piece that wasn't recorded until 1950 (along with a couple other tracks from the "late" sessions). Hagood's vocal is cool, and Miles plays an outstanding solo in the middle of the piece. The band backs the vocal very well ending the album nicely.

This is a classic album, as everyone else has previously stated. Not much left to say.

I must start by saying that it is impossible to dare not to rate this with five stars.To give a small instance of the impact of this work, as a brazilian, I recognize in this album the strong influence that it had over brazilian music. I am also certain that Miles extended his influence all over the world. So if you are an american, be proud of it, and tell all the world: "America is the birthplace of The Cool".

This band only played for a couple of weeks, and just a few tracks were recorded. Almost 10 years elapsed before these tracks were compiled in an LP for the first time. Neverthless, the music from those sessions is one of the greatest achievements in jazz. For Miles hardcore fans, every album is genious and essential and a cornerstone, but this one really is. And a good place to start a jazz or a Miles collection. The story of how the original master tapes were discovered almost 50 years after they were recorded only adds to the magic aurea surronding this CD. The other version available, `the complete birth of the cool' did not use the original master tapes, and therefore is inferior in sound quality, and its only for completists.