The Complete Birth of the Cool

These pivotal, way-ahead-of-their-time 1949-1950 nonet recordings (with Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz, Gil Evans et al ) remain jazz classics-though their sonic quality's always been a bit lacking. But now, thanks to the magic of Mark Levinson's Cello System, they've been remastered to bring out the voicings that make them so incredible. Plus, this release features 11 live tracks recorded over two weeks at the Royal Roost in September 1948-the only gigs this group ever did!

Birth of the Cool is the first important leader date from Miles Davis, one of jazz's most seminal figures and farsighted practitioners. Having made his reputation in large measure from playing with bop giant Charlie Parker, Davis confounded expectations when he embraced the "cool" arranging style of Gil Evans, an arranger for Claude Thornhill's band. Evans, who was employing unique voicings by adding French horns and tuba to Thornhill's instrumentations, also emphasized a diminished use of vibrato in both reeds and brass, producing a drier, "cool" sound. Two of Evans's arrangements, "Boplicity" and "Moon Dreams," appear on the album. Also involved are baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, who contributed such outstanding tunes as "Jeru" and "Venus de Milo," and Modern Jazz Quartet pianist John Lewis. The result is a date that has withstood the tests of time, fashion, and Davis's own extraordinary growth as a performer. An enhanced set, The Complete Birth of the Cool expands the original issue with previously bootlegged live recordings of Davis's nonet at the Royal Roost in New York in 1948. Although the sound quality is far from perfect, the performances are remarkable, and worth the additional expense for the serious fan. --Fred Goodman