The Complete Birth of the Cool
Birth of the Coolis 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 giantCharlie Parker, Davis confounded expectations when he embraced the "cool" arranging style ofGil Evans, an arranger forClaude 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 saxophonistGerry Mulligan, who contributed such outstanding tunes as "Jeru" and "Venus de Milo," andModern Jazz QuartetpianistJohn 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 Coolexpands 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