Miles’ First Masterpiece: Birth of the Cool

You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians

Peter Martin

Best New Jazz, Reaction, Album Analysis, Live Music, Album, 194861, Music, Jazz Lessons, Fresh Spin Fridays, Album Breakdown, Music Analysis, Kid A Harmony Analysis, Jazz Education, Musical Life, Video Podcast, Isolated Stems, Track-by-track, Song Breakdown, Music Advice, Jazz Tutorials, Music Education, Album Deep Dive, Jazz Musicians React, Music Commentary, Jazz, Vocal Stems, Adam Maness, Tutorials, Jazz Courses, Musicians React, Peter Martin, Song Stems, Chords, Music Theory

4.9 • 770 Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Before Kind of Blue, a 21-year-old Miles Davis was already reshaping jazz with Birth of the Cool. In this episode, we explore how Miles teamed up with arranger Gil Evans and a chamber-like nonet to craft a sound full of singable melodies, tightly arranged horns, and forward-thinking restraint. With French horn in the mix, Gerry Mulligan and John Lewis’ arranging touch, and Lee Konitz’s lyrical solos, we unpack why this album – recorded in 1949-1950 and released years later – still lives up to its name.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	So Bridget breaks up with him and he moves from Cape to Springfield.
0:05.0	Wait, Cod or Gerardo?
0:07.0	Gerardo, if you remember correctly.
0:08.0	And he starts working in Brantz.
0:10.0	I'll tell you about it later.
0:11.0	Today we're talking about an incredible album recorded in 1949 by one of the most influential jazz musicians that ever lived.
0:17.0	Oh, it's got to be Charlie Parker.
0:19.0	Great guests, great guess, but think trumpet. that ever live. Oh, it's got to be Charlie Parker.
0:24.1	Great guests, great guest, but think trumpet.
0:26.5	Trumpet 49. Oh, Dizzy.
0:33.0	Again, I like where your head's at, but think East St. Louis.
0:36.1	Oh, East St. Louis. Oh, Miles. It... Oh, Miles.
0:42.2	It is Miles, but it's cooler than that.
0:43.1	Cooler than this.
0:43.4	Yeah.
0:45.9	In fact, it's the birth of the cool.
0:47.7	Hmm. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm The I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm
1:11.6	The
1:12.6	I'm
1:13.6	The
1:14.6	I'm
1:15.6	I'm
	...

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