Although it is highly revered today, the music of the Miles Davis Nonet left the audiences of the late 1940s indifferent. The group was highly popular among other musicians, however, and served as an inspirational force to a multitude of other bands, as well as the different subsequent groups of the many musicians involved. Traces of the nonet’s music can be found in the early 1950s Miles Davis groups, the Gil Evans recordings (including the arranger’s wonderful collaborations with Miles), Mulligan’s pianoless quartet with Chet Baker, certain arrangements of the Stan Kenton orchestra and John Lewis’ (another member of the nonet) posterior Modern Jazz Quartet.
The first important leader date from 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 features previously bootlegged live recordings of the 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
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

Customer Rating:
Summary: Must have for music lovers
Comment: Birth of the Cool is one of the greatest albums of all times. It is timeless and as relivent today as ever. This is a great first album for anyone getting into Miles or Jazz.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The album title says it all
Comment: When you realize that these sides were cut in 1949, you can only but marvel at the both the sophistication of both the music and the sound. For those of you that might think that anything recorded almost 60 years ago must sound primitive, think again. This is modern music, timeless music, and will pay dividends on a good sound system. How many 58 year old recording can say that?

This is great stuff, period.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: I am not a jazz aficionado...
Comment: ... but I do like and own almost all of Miles Davis's albums. I really don't care for "Birth of the Cool". The sound quality is great, the musicianship is excellent but it feels clinical and cold. Again, I am not an avid fan of jazz; I do not have the background or education of a jazz fan, but the reason I have such a deep Miles collection is that his music, by and far, is very moving. Not this album. Though technically proficient "Birth of the Cool" does not have a mood or "feel" to it that I associate with Miles Davis. If you are not a big-time jazz fan per se I would not recommend this as a starting point for Miles Davis; save it for the experts!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE ALL-TIME TOP TEN CLASSIC JAZZ ALBUMS!!!
Comment: For ANYONE who is considering collecting any of the All-Time Classics THIS is a Must-Have to complete it!!! This has even been used in an epidsode of The Simpsons, so that should tell you something. This 'Flows' from the start to the finish. Although this has been released on an Expanded Edition with an poorly recorded Unreleased 'Live' Session, but THIS is The One to have in your collection.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Cool Breeze
Comment: This is simply beautiful music;
fresh from the be-bop academy of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis has finally proven himself as an carismatic leader...

Having spent some time at Julliard and (according to his own autobiography), having studied some classics of the classical western music, Miles also drew from some earlier interesting models of jazz arranging - Claude Thornhill is mentioned most of the time, but young Gerry Mulligan has heralded this style even in some arrangements for Gene Krupa's big band (not to mention some of the "advanced" tracks by Henderson, Ellington and other classical bands).

This is therefore a beautiful blend of the be-bop musical language and more subdued and subtle arranging ("neo-classical"), creating a genuine and very influential cool breeze that will influence future cool and west-coast jazz artists. Gerry Mulligan seems to be the best arranger of the album (although Gil Evans is also excellent), while Miles, Mulligan and Konitz give the most inspiring solos if you want my humble opinion...

Well, since other have put it so eloquently, I'll only add my 5 stars...
Naturally, if you liked Porgy and Bess or Sketches of SpainSketches Of Spain you're bound to love this as well...

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