Reviews (page 4 of 14)
I love Miles Davis
4/5. Originally just a series of singles from the late 40’s and early 50’s, they would be compiled into this album in 1957, ushering in the era of cool jazz and shining a spotlight on Miles Davis as a major figure/bandleader in the genre. Due to the time it was recorded, the production is a bit dated, but the playing here is still strong. The rhythm section keeps everything moving nicely with some driving baselines and drum work, and the lower-register horn section does some solid solo-work. The biggest thing holding Birth of the Cool back is honestly just seeing it in retrospect and knowing that Miles Davis would go on to do many even better albums (I’m personally partial to his fusion era.)
Lives up to its name I guess. This was pleasant to listen to during my planning period and helped me focus at the very least.
відчула себе барменом в парижі поки готувала сніданок
Nice, but not memorable
i like it.
It was a fun listen, definitely not the genre I usually listen to. Jazz always has a lot of emotion and it's hard to dislike it, but I do find it a bit boring and not quite for my taste.
El mejor título
bit jazzy, but solid
v peaceful & fun
If you like jazz this is for you
Nice, I liked it, but would only replay it in the right setting.
Everything here is good at being what it is - fun, upbeat, pop jazz - and at the same time it's obvious why Davis got bored with it. The gulf between this and *Kind of Blue* is just a little too much to bear, as unfair as maybe that is.
Miles Davis is one of my favourite musicians. I like most of his output, but obviously I favour some of his periods over others. Whilst I enjoy Birth Of The Cool, I very much have to be in the mood for it - same for any really early, bigger band jazz. This is great, and Miles is great, but doesn’t quite warrant a 5 for me. Happy to provide my list of favourite Miles albums, but I’m not sure this would make the top twenty!
First album I've gotten that I already had downloaded! The album with the most accurate name ever. It's so cool. I've listened to it like 40 times man
Decent jazz album, good vibes, but definitely big band/swing feeling. Not as big a fan of a full instrumental album but did enjoy Darn that Dream. Unfortunately found myself ready to move on about 2/3rds of the way through.
Very cool jazz. I'm generally more into east coast jazz but this is nice too.
I come to The Birth of the Cool with all the baggage of someone whose idea of jazz has been irreversibly warped by The Fast Show (“Nice!”) and, frankly, that’s probably half the problem. I still struggle to feel the appeal in the way devotees clearly do. That said, this is about as painless — even pleasant — as jazz has been for me. What helps is the calmness and structure. Rather than showboating chaos or musicians disappearing up their own solos, these tracks feel arranged, considered, and (crucially) tuneful. There are actual melodies you can hum, and the ensemble playing gives it a softness and balance that stops it tipping into self-indulgence. It’s undeniably stylish and historically important, and I can appreciate its relaxed, late-night sophistication even if it doesn’t exactly stir my soul. I wouldn’t put it on for fun, but I also wouldn’t flee the room — which, for jazz, is genuine progress
Pretty good album, didn’t enjoy it as much as some of the other jazz. I’ve heard on this though. Sounds a little bit derivative, but maybe that’s because it was one of the first. Three stars.
Miles Davis. Interesting. Is this another purely jazz album. I'm gonna be honest there does not need to be this much instrumental jazz on here. I'm sure it's all great and very influential but it's all that jazz, baby. Israel what 💔 Palestine 🆙. What are we doing here. I don't wanna listen to this much jazz in my free time. I gotta be honest. Don't gaf. Favourite: Boplicity Least favourite: Israel (on principle)
Really great jazz album. Not my favorite genre, but this is an excellent entry from the field. 3.5 stars, came quite close to 4 for me.
jazek
good for studying to easy jazz hihihiha
jazzy jazz jazz
70s miles > 50s miles
I listened to the first 22 minutes of my way to work... grey, cold and it the music didn't do much. I listened to rest after work, in the sun and the music came to life.
All instrumental, not my thing!
Is it just me or did that first song sound like the cantina song from Star Wars
good af
Baller
Mi tipo de musica ideal para trabajar/estudiar con demasiado flow. La primer canción "Move", me transporta a la escena de Lala land donde el toca el piano y ella baila y el plano secuencia va de uno al otro. Me encanta
Jazz works for me only when live, but still enjoyed this album a bit 6.5/10 Will I add this album to my library? Maybe
I enjoyed this but perhaps wasn’t fully engaged so it became background music. Having incidentally listened to Bitches Brew the other day (not as part of challenge), I had a frame of reference and I can hear the difference as I was far more engaged with that and could tell it was an album of exceptional quality. So I’ll come back to this another time to reevaluate, it might just be I wasn’t in the right moment to fully appreciate it.
Still sounds great.
Great album! Miles Davis is amazing! Highly recommend!
Bn
I’ve often found Miles hard work. However, I’ve really enjoyed spending the weekend with this album. It’s got a really interesting mix of Boogie Woogie Bugle vibes with an edge of … cool, I guess. I’d happily spend many a Sunday morning chilling with a coffee.
I know it’s a strone cold classic but it just didn’t speak to me.
First Listen; 3.5; I'm far from a jazz expert, but to me this album straddles the line between upbeat big band and more mellow, laid back jazz. Incredible musicianship which leaves a lot to unpack. I enjoyed this album, but feel like this is really something where you need to come back for multiple listens and have a little more context in order to fully appreciate it. Favorite Track: Moon Dreams
A classic, landmark album. Fun enough to listen to but lacking some of the more adventurous sounds of the bebop era. The instruments sound really good. It’s well-recorded. Just a little predictable at this point.
chill
Capaz lo escuche en un mal momento.
Caveat that I’m not a jazz listener; however, this album is quite good to my ears. I had no itching desire to stop listening to it.
No complaints here
Cool indeed
Jazz band moment
This is indeed the birth of cool
Seminal jazz album. Released in 1957, but the recordings are from 1949/1950. It's the earliest Miles album I own, I've got the 'Complete' edition ion CD, which is the way to go if you're interested. Get this album and be cool like Miles.
Me and this music are no strangers. I've been thru this album at least a dozen times in my life. It's an excellent introduction to Davis's genius. "Move" is such an explosive starter. It blasts the listener with the horns and boldly declares that *this* is jazz. "Budo" may be my favorite track. It's kinetic and those drums just kill me every time. "Venus de Milo" swings, while "Moon Dreams" is a gentle, lazy, languid stream. "Boplicity" is so effortlessly cool, and it stands as the creative peak of this record. The whole album is a bridge to the future of jazz. Nothing before sounded like it, and everything after tried to be it. (4/5) This isn't every day listening for me, hence the '4', rather than a '5'. I see it's brilliance, but I have other things to listen to. Plus, I'm a bigger fan of Davis's later (than this) music. I agree with it's inclusion in this list and it is 'essential' listening.
I respect and admire this one, but also feel like someone who played the horn would respect and admire it a lot more than I do. It's cool, it's hip, and it's sorta groovy, but it's also chaotic, all over the place, and a bit of a hot mess. I guess the "I'm glad that they named tracks on here and paused between them so I could perform the mental gymnastics necessary to tell them apart" kinda jazz just isn't my thing. I like my jazz to sound less like a jam session or warm up and more like a thoughtfully written and structured musical endeavor. Practice on your own time and don't sell it to me as art. Which I guess isn't jazz. Either way, I revere and appreciate this one more than I actually enjoy it, so here I am feeling guilty about topping it out at a 3/5 and feeling like I'm missing out somehow.
Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 5 = 4.8 rounded up to a 5 "I want you to lend an ear/ Because, well, I want you/ To hear some really/ Shimmering sharps and flats" Been a LONG time since I listened to this, but remember digging it. When it comes to jazz I lean way into bop and more traditional stuff. I know this one has a reputation for putting a spin on things and being a prime mover in the "cool jazz" movement, but to my ear this is still very traditional, compared to what was coming. There are jazz musicians I much prefer in to Mr. Davis, but as we're in capable hands, I expect this to be a very smooth ride. The nature of the genre makes me want to approach it a bit more impressionistically, so this will be very feelings heavy. And it might get abstract and silly. THE TRACKS Side one "Move" - Davis and company ease us in with plans to maybe upset the cart, if only slightly later. Everyone came for Miles, but I'm staying for Max Roach. *SNAP* *SNAP* *SNAP*. A smooth, playfully energetic 2:35 and we're out. "Jeru" - Gets a little bit weirder. The swing beat is our hand hold here as everyone else takes turns down various paths, but we're still in the zone. The calmness and the control are still there, but there's some tentative exploration going on. Some new doorways have appeared, so let's see if they'll be busted wide open or cautiously creaked open to see what's inside. "Moon Dreams" - In here we find a darkened room, sparsely furnished. Maybe there's a single chair with table that has a drink on it. We can sit for a while and stare out the window at the night sky and try not to be distracted by the blinking neon lights, but whatever respite we've found in our brief time here won't last long. The tension is still there. It never left. "Venus De Milo" - Is curiosity something that can come across in music without words? I think so. Maybe it's the name of the track, but this one feels like you've noticed someone very interesting and decided to try and chat them up. Seems like it's going well. Though maybe you're trying too hard and they remain unimpressed. "Budo" - Before they lose complete interest you turn on the charisma and up the energy. It's time to engage in some conversation. You hit the dance floor for a bit and all seems to be going well, but we cut away before any resolution. "Deception" - Some time much later you decide to have a good think about things. Uncertainty plagues your every thought, but you're determined . A decision must be made. But what will it be? Side two "Godchild" - This one is playful, with a spring in its step, and a twinkle in its eye. Still relaxed though, and in no hurry. "Boplicity" - Wistful, and maybe little bittersweet. The good times are still in full swing, but the hour grows late... "Rocker" - So why not enjoy the time we have left with a night out? "Israel" - Things might end in a bit of chaos though. "Rouge" - The sun's almost up, time to go. "Darn That Dream" - Regret's a bitch. HIGHLIGHTS Every track was great on this, but if I had to choose some favorite things: - When the piano comes in around :47 into "Rouge" it feels like a lift, almost like someone fresh is coming in off a hot tag, to put it in professional wrestling terms :) - Max Roach's drumming in general. He's up there with Art Blakey, Sandy Nelson, and Stewart Copeland in my personal pantheon of percussionists. - "Moon Dreams" was my favorite track. Could leave it on repeat for hours. MIDLIGHTS - None LOWLIGHTS - None FINAL THOUGHTS I'll wrap things up by making it clear just how intellectually impenetrable I find so much instrumental music to be. I can't help but to react to it in an emotional way, and maybe because I'm such a visual person, I find my imagination using whatever it is I'm listening to as the score for some phantom film scene. Unless I'm doing something else ( which is most often when I would have something like this on). Then it becomes a mood I can soak up and acknowledge while occupying the other parts of my brain with mind numbing or repetitive tasks. Which is not to say that I don't really enjoy such music. It just feels weird to review individual tracks when the artists playing on it are even one more step removed from their intentions. With a more traditional rock song for example, I can see a lot more of the purpose and intended message behind the craft. Guys like Davis and company remain a mystery to me in that regard. A beautiful, and still very soulful mystery. But not one that I want to examine in a dry technical way, which seems like the only other option. There were not any numbers on here that jumped too far ahead of the others, and I enjoyed the album as a whole experience. There was still a load of variety, even within the individual tracks. Class from top to bottom, and no doubt why this has the reputation it does. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - When I listen to this again ( and I will) it'll be the whole thing FURTHER LISTENING - Undercurrent by Jim Hall and Bill Evans - Ahmad's Blues by Ahmad Jamal - Somethin' Else by Cannonbal Adderly
I have little to no musical aptitude. I can't keep time with a clap. There is an abundance of appreciation, though, and a growing well of knowledge. So when I listen to these jazz talents, to me, what they are doing is pure sorcery. It is magic to hear a master of his instrument in a solid flow state. The trumpet, like the guitar, is a great instrument on which to solo. With Miles Davis as bandleader we are treated to relaxed tempos and laid back arrangements. This here is the birth of cool jazz. From my limited understanding it is a sound some jazz artists would be chasing for the next 70 years. Smooth silky horns trying to match pace instead of outgallop each other, a bass and percussion that never distracts simply blending every sound in the air into the moment, and the space for it all to just play. There were so many moments on this album that just reached out and grabbed me. The primal initiating energy on "Move", how "Venus De Milo" seems to be a dream of the inanimate springing to life for conversation, the uplifting sound of "Budo", and ambush of the piano at the end of "Boplicity." This album makes me want to be at an urban nightspot, martini in hand, pondering the hazy cigarette smoke drifting toward the ceiling. There is no tomorrow, the dawn is too shy to appear while the horns play on. Give me just one more song, please.
It was good.
Would buy
Lo saque antes, no me gusta el jazz la posta jajajajaj
It was pretty cool, chill. I did not connect emotionally to it too much tho.
Not a fan of jazz
I love jazz
I enjoyed it, faster than the other Miles Davis work i listened to. Although one bad thing i can say about this is that it just doesn’t feel “different” in any way other than it just being good quality. Maybe i just haven’t listened to enough jazz.
Miles is the definition of cool
Holiday dinners, cocktails and cigars
Quintessential jazz. Formative. And 70 years old!
Perhaps not my favourite by Miles Davis but still clearly an important album. The pieces are all relatively short on this record and more traditional but even saying this there is a very distinctive quality to his playing
Just another jazz piece with saxophone.
I appreciate this making me listen to more Miles Davis as I love So What! I LOVED the first track, added to the playlist! But theeen I didn’t really realise I was listening until a couple of songs later when Budo played, which is kind of the vibe of the whole album so good but not great!
Amazing opening track. Appreciate the structure of the album, yet the songs do seem to meld into one another, with not as many hooks or memorable moments as he has come to be known for through Bitches brew and kind of blue. Good effort by an outstanding artists, but still, only good!
Standard, enjoyable Miles. Not much of the experimental hard to listen to stuff. Great work/background music.
Heard of it before but hadn’t heard it. Interesting.
Je trouve que c'est pas son meilleur album by far, mais c'est pionnier et agréable tout de même 3.5+/5
smart fella
La verdad es que no voy a ir tema por tema porque lo escuche y me pareció bastante monótono y parecido. El albúm en si me gustó mucho. Todo un jazzito instrumental menos el último tema que se tira unos canticos. Me gusta, super tranka el Jazz, y super misma línea, muy agradable al oído. Siento que es de los discos ideales de esa época, que lo pones en el tocadiscos y suena un buen rato una música parecida y que pone ambiente. 7/10
Had this on CD in college. Among the earliest recordings of Davis as bandleader after cutting his teeth with Charlie Parker. Comparatively traditional to what he became known for later, it's nonetheless a very seminal and enjoyable collection of recordings.
Enjoyable, but not his best work.
Could an album like this ever really become boring to anyone? Though it’s not suitable for every day either. Miles Davis doesn’t deserve anything lower than a 4. 7/10
Album machine this guy, I was curious when this came up to see where it stood in his albums and Christ on a bike, how many. Influential figure no doubt. Hard listen all the same I struggle to sit and listen to music like this, it’s more for a live or atmospheric moments. But who can deny the talent on show here
Very nice
❣️
Me costó un poco. Medio lento. Música ambiental
Love a good jazz album and Miles Davis is an icon.
Nicht gehortt
Ziemlich busy, aber so war das nunmal
I mean I guess it's pretty cool?
Was sooo catchy!
un disco de casi 80 años! Impresionante como sigue siendo relevante.
Wonderful jazz. Miles Davis' life was frantic and aggro but his music was effortlessly calm and relaxed. What a world. This is a fantastic intro to the man. An easily digestible collection of short songs that can either demand your attention or serve as some delightful background music if you're doing something else. Miles Davis has FAR more to offer but if you dig this, you'll dig his other work.
If you want to dive deeper into jazz, this album is a great starting point. A classic sound without feeling like it's stuck in the past. The musicianship is top-notch and each instrument gets its moment to shine. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Move - Jeru - Moon Dreams
very nice
Very good! Stands the test of time!
Dinner party/cooking music. Jovial ambience. Cold weather in nyc
another album about me!!! HEHE. i like jazzand this was great!
Really appropriate name it IS quite cool
Just cool
This is an interesting addition to the catalog of Miles Davis. The nonet sound is definitely quite different to what I usually think of with Miles Davis. I think maybe this music was a bit more accessible and radio friendly than some of his other releases. It's still super impressive and interesting recording techniques and styles with tons of obvious talent, it just doesn't evoke the same kind of intensity that I know Miles Davis can produce.
Smooth, cool jazz. I haven't revisited this album since I originally had it generated before joining a group, but I enjoyed it just as much today as I did on day 1.
good, but just melody
Its fine I guess. As Barry B Benson has asked "You like Jazz?" And the answer is no. But La La Land is still dope.
Tja, det er bedre end det tidligere jazz-album, men det har stadig den klare ulempe, at det er et jazz-album 2.1
Super!
Excellent
Me gusto, relajante
I’ve never done a deep dive into the Miles Davis catalog, so this one was a new one for me. Also, this one prompted me to read up on Miles early career in the 1940s and 1950s, so I’m grateful for all that new knowledge. Not really an album in the traditional sense — most of these were released as 78s in the era before albums — it’s still an excellent assemblage of what Miles was exploring as a band leader for the first time. 4 stars
I have been a fan of Miles Davis music for some time. Kind of Blue is one of my cozy up for the evening go to albums. First time listening to Birth of Cool. Album aptly named. It’s the difference between being alone with your thoughts and moving through the world with style.
Probably a top 5 Miles Davis album for me, not for any one track but because of the richness of the whole experience.
This isn’t my flavor of Miles Davis, but it is pretty great. One of the first jazz records I got turned on to as a kid.
I'm a lyrics type of gal. Instrumentals don't really satisfy me so this album really had a hard time convincing me. I like a lot of swing-inspired modern songs so I thought I'd like it a lot more than I did. It feels very simplistic to me. I went in completely blind not knowing anything about it. I'm glad I tried something new, but it didn't land for me. Especially the song called Israel, that I skipped, but it already lost me by then.
Reminds me of musicals. It's a bit loud and over the place, but it's a vibe :)
jazz wenon
I think cool is a fair descriptor. This album does such a great job of straddling that line between relaxing and energetic. It’s applicable pretty much everywhere and anywhere, and sounds good to boot. Whether this is a complement or a detraction is very much a personal thing, but this album really needs to be an album, huh? As a long span of frigidly cool jazz, it doesn’t really do anything different from song to song. This is not a great loss when every song feels like it’s wearing sunglasses indoors, but if you put a song name in front of me, put a gun to my head, and told me to give you any motif, bass line, or riff, I would have to tell you to pull the trigger. Birth Of The Cool is a feeling more than an album, put any one of these songs in isolation or a shifted playlist and it would fail to stand out. As somebody used to listening to and taking a song on its own standing, this is conflicting for me. But we’re ranking albums here, and this album was smooth to its core. Perhaps unlikely to revisit, or have an urge to pop a song from it in my queue, but I think this album performs the rare feat of living up to the lofty goal of being worth listening to before I die.
Enjoyable and easy going. Doesn't quite hit 'proper' cool. High 3
Enjoyed it, smooth
Not cool enough
The aptly named Birth of the Cool gives us some of the earliest Miles Davis recordings from 1949 and 1950, a decade before his most celebrated Kind of Blue and two decades before his revolutionary Bitches Brew. While it is true that this compilation does not stir in me the kinds of emotions that those two aforementioned records do, the fact that 75 years later it stirs anything at all is astonishing. When the average person thinks of "jazz" they probably most readily think of the exact sound captured on Birth of Cool. When I hear jazz played live in Blues Bars in London it is this sound which they are trying to recapture, and surely no one does it better than Miles Davis.
Birth of Cool gets a solid 4 from me, clearly broke ground and laid foundations for the type of jazz I really love from the decade following it
parecía música de restaurant caro no mí tipo de música
Loved it.
Good album, has a very retro 60-70s feel as if it were a sunny day and you're sitting on the porch. Relaxing to listen to and easy to get lost in, although tracks dont stand out from one another too much they are still fresh enough to want to hear another. Would listen to again and even search for specific songs, great introduction to jazz and that style of instrumental music with no lyrics.
Nice to get acquainted with such an old impactful album. However, it's not very much my taste.
Gave Birth of the Cool a listen—not my usual style, but I can appreciate the talent and clever arrangements. Venus de Milo and Moon Dreams stood out, smooth and mellow; overall, 3/5.
Never been a fan of the genre but appreciate the talent
This was very fun. I wasn't familiar with these tracks, but it was an easy listen. I'd like to listen to it again.
My favourite Miles is after 1967 but this was a good listen. Wild to see that this is a compilation of recordings from 1949-1950. It has a nice soft sound with all the horns. At its root is a fairly straight jazz sound which is pretty boring to me but I dig the arrangements here which keep it interesting. I think I can see why this would be considered essential although I’m still disappointed at the omission of all 9 albums from 1971-1976, which are far superior albums to me.
Nice gentle listening.
I can’t help it. I really don’t enjoy this the way I wish I did.
This is truly one of the all time great jazz records, and really one of the top 100 music recordings of all-time. The bummer is it took 250 assignments in this project to get here. And even in those 200+ listens, the lack of jazz music is very disappointing. I'm hoping the next 800 listens ahead for me makes up for it.
fun and enjoyable. after watching the miles davis movie i don't like him and ya ya musical genius or whatever but evil towards women and idfwt
ame sus ritmos, su melodía ya esencia del álbum
cool album, not my personal favorite of what i've heard of Miles Davis
It's cool alright
Very classy. Definitely a fitting title. Like those romantic classic Hollywood films that don’t exist anymore in terms of jazzy sound.
I’m kinda glad this site makes me listen to jazz so often, cause i probably wouldn’t sit to do it on my own. Solid 3 but it was enjoyable.
listening to this album on a windy night definitely helped with this listening experience. never really got into jazz that much, but this album is genuinely such a fun listen for some ambience noise. reminds me of the bar scene towards the end of the movie green book or entering the lobby of a fancy hotel.
Not the biggest fan of this one, i enjoy more of his stuff after this album.
Great album name. The whole album is instrumental until the last song and then they hit you with some vocals.
Album name checks out.
Bastante meh la verdad, me esperaba mucho más, siempre escuché que Miles Davis es el peak del jazz (junto con John Coltraine) pero este álbum pasó sin pena ni gloria, tiene dos temas memorables pero lo demás es jazz de fondo para restaurante, espero que algún otro trabajo de Miles me llegue a sorprender, por ahora fue un inicio agridulce.
I feel like I force myself to think jazz is the best genre because of how great it's talked about but it's just good to me, nothing insane to listen to.
I honestly prefer modal, jazz fusion and most other jazz styles over cool jazz but this is undeniably a great record.
Another Miles Davis album? Please stop with the 50's jazz stuff Not for me
This is a very different Miles Davis to the one who made “Bitches Brew”. There’s twenty years between “Birth of the Cool” and “Bitches Brew”, but they might as well be an entire universe apart. The latter sounded more like something Can, or even Radiohead, might come out with. The former is more grounded and restrained, and far less outwardly experimental. Although, in true Miles Davis form, he was already innovating. This whole collection of songs is a reaction to the speedy bebop jazz of the late 40s. The music here is calmer, restrained, airy and… cool. Rather than showing off virtuoso skills in individual solos, battling against each other, the instruments are harmonising together in interesting ways, coming together to make something interesting. It feels like a focus more on space and texture than showing off technique. Everything feels restrained. If there’s improvisation happening here, you can’t tell. It all feels very intentional and designed. I’m much more of a fan of that later period Davis, where he was experimenting with hypnotic grooves in improv. Not to say that this wasn’t enjoyable. I particularly liked the calmer songs that focused on those interesting harmonic textures, like “Moon Dreams” in particular. The album could have done without “Darn That Dream” at the end though. I’m not sure why, but the vocal performance really ruined it for me. It really is hard to believe that this is the same Miles Davis that created “Bitches Brew”. Two different universes of the same artist. 3.5 stars
This shit is so fucking sad and depressing yet cool at the same time. Not for me but I see why people adore this and call it a masterpiece. Feels like smoking a cigar in the rain in a trench coat
Dire. Utterly tuneless.
meh, don’t really appreciate jazz like that especially without a diversity of sound or lyrics
Not as exciting and engaging as his other work. A good album, but nothing really stood out or grabbed me.
Cool vibe
Not Miles at his most profound, but Miles at one of his most historically decisive moments. Artistically elegant, smart, beautifully constructed. Inspiring, especially once you stop demanding drama from it and let it work on its own terms.
jazz epicardovich
Fine background music. No real feelings about this one. Sorry Miles.
Great background noise, nice and peaceful. However, not something I would choose if it was set in front of me.
lo escuché leyendo un libro y es gran música de ambientación. Tenía al tipo de nombre pero creo que nunca había escuchado nada (por lo menos siendo consciente que era el)
Not Miles' best, but cool nonetheless
me encanto. lo escuche mientras limpiaba mi casa y me parecio super para acompañar el momento. me gusto tambien que la ultima cancion tenga voces, buen corte.
actually pretty based and miles davis shares my birthday (smiling fondly)
Classic
Definitely very cool, especially when listening at night on the streets. Hits different.
(90/100)
Alright but Jazz isn't really my thing
Great jazz album. I need to be in a specific mood to listen to jazz, and it’s not all that often, but his skills are top notch.
This is straight instramental Jazz. To be honest I didn't think I'd like it much but I just let it play and found myself half way through the album before I even noticed. I was in the zone and just letting the music slide through me. I don't think I'd come back to this album, but I think it would be a good study/mindfulness album where you can get some work done in the background. I never considered I'd like jazz, but I think I enjoy this one. Seems like a 4 for to me!
5/10
miles davies always 5/5
Just never really got into this, no tunes to catch onto. I really like some of his other music but this didn't grab me at all. Tossing up between two and three stars.
4.1 Buen album de jazz, relajante pero no aburrido aunque en algún punto las canciones llegan a sonar muy similares. Tiene varios ritmos cambiantes, me gusta
Pretty cool! One day I will understand Jazz as much as I enjoy it (and I enjoy it a lot), but it really just overcame me. We're still not on Miles Davis' level.
"If it sounds good, it is good" is a quote attributed to Charles Mingus, that me and Harry's freshman jazz teacher would often say to us. Although I believe in this quote, context is extremely important here. This is a compilation detailing Miles' recordings from 49 to 50. It's called "The Birth of Cool" because it's documenting the path that Miles took to becoming quite literally the coolest man on early. In 1949 he's playing this type of stuff. By the 60s, he's hanging out with Iggy Pop and Bob Dylan in the village. In hearing this record, Kind of Blue sounds so much more abstract and out of the box. The tracks there don't sound like jazz standards anymore. They sound like experiments. This is not a record that is in heavy rotation for me. It is however, a cool chapter in the history of the coolest mf ever.
mannnn I know these recordings are important in their own way, but I can't help but wish this compilation was swapped out with some other Miles album that isn't on this list ("'Round About Midnight" if we're sticking within the decade, "Sketches of Spain" if we're looking for some boundary-breaking). I'm curious how this was perceived at time of release (1957, same year as 'Round About Midnight) considering these recordings were captured between 1949-1950, and Miles had already starting moving on from this sound. maybe audiences were still hungry for it, but Miles was years past this already, and those intervening years were very productive and quickly evolving, and he continued in that fashion for decades. you can especially tell that these songs were of a certain era due not only to their sound, approach, and recording quality but also to their length -- each of these recordings would have fit onto their own physical media and purchased separately before they were compiled onto a 12-inch format. love Miles and of course appreciate him for his early contributions and breaking barriers with those early forms of jazz; however, I prefer what happened later.
It’s interesting to see where the departure of Kind of Blue is coming from in context of these shorter, much tighter songs. Each one has an identifiable hook and taut solos. I especially liked “Jeru,” “Venus de Milo,” “Boplicity,” and “Israel.”
miles released numerous 5 star records, and this is almost one of them. it's in the top 10 of his releases to my ears, but plenty ahead of it. this is still essential listening as a defining sound of miles's early years. he hasn't moved yet into his own sound, but he makes some excellent songs here
Great jazz, not much to say. Made me miss jazz band.
Another from the Goat.
It's cool
Though I'm not a big jazz fan, I could appreciate his iconic talent in "Birth of the Cool."
it's an instrumental mood to that time when the music create an atmosphere that make you feel suspense. The album also creates a sexy and romantic ambient.
good vibes thats all. Not my thing
I appreciate him immensely as a musician but I dont know style enough to see if this album was impressive
Good album. This is the type of music I first think of when someone says Jazz. Considered one of the first pioneering Cool Jazz albums.
Birth of the Cool sounds calm and smooth, easy to enjoy, though not always exciting or surprising for casual listeners.
Dat cool waz borned
This just doesnt do anything for me at all. I know, I'm the worst. But it sounds like one long song. I respect it, I know theyre great musicians. But its totally lost one me
Own this one and listened again. It's not my favorite Miles period but it is cool and nice to listen to.
Very Groovy Jazz album. Honestly might be the oldest album I have ever listened to.
Love it.
A very consistent walking bass line in the background. I think I prefer Miles Davis pieces without the singing
"Birth of the Cool" helped kickstart one of my favourite genres of jazz, and music in general: the titular "Cool" jazz. Here, Davis' nonet meshes together well to create a short, snappy album with a high tempo feel. However, while this is a solid album, in terms of Davis' wider catalogue I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
Classic Miles Davis as he transitions between big band and Kind of Blue and certainly a far cry from Bitches Brew just over a decade later. Moon dreams is my favorite.
Heel fijn toegankelijk Jazz album wat fijne achtergrond muziek is (uitgeprobeerd bij koken). Realiseer me elke keer als ik Jazz luister weer hoe bijzonder het is dat chaos zo goed kan klinken.
Ellepel: Toffe instrumentele jazz die goed te luisteren is. Ik vind dit muziek die je heel goed op de achtergrond kan hebben als vrienden over zijn, het gaat van snel naar rustig. Verder is het een relatief kort album. Teeuw-s: I love mijn kipje
Fast and punchy with an intensity that is unique to Miles
I'm not really a great jazz fan. But O know that Davis was something of a trailblazer. But this album is a bit of a noodly-doodly kind of jazz album, and I didn't really enjoy it too much. Matters were made worse by my streaming platform supplying an extended editions with a load of radio broadcast live performances complete with announcers and (in some cases) appalling vocals.
Who could have guessed that cool jazz is cool? Very pleasant album.
music is love
There's not much, if anything, wrong with this release, but I do like it considerably less than the rest of the Miles Davis catalogue I've heard, simply because it is just too short and slight. Personally, I'd go with another one of his numerous great albums over a compilation, but this is fine as well. Favourite track: Move
I'm not a huge fan of cool jazz, but man Miles Davis is such a pleasure to listen to.
It was during my hour long commutes, absolutely loved it 10/10
Album war recht chillig. Gut fürs lesen und ruhige Atmosphere. hab ein paar neue favs
Não é minha praia!
Jazz ain’t my thing but I still like it
Hypnotically cool, but not boring.
I kind of understand a bit more why people like jazz
This would make good film soundtrack music. But to listen to alone I just can't get on with jazz. It's just too smug and pretentious for me. But at least it's not prog rock.
Appropriately named album. It is a very enjoyable listen.
One of the most pleasantly surprising things about is this list is realizing just how much I like jazz.
Miles Davis has such an interesting career, he has done everything from Hard Bop, Free Jazz, Bebop, Cool Jazz, and even some occasional covers. What impresses me more is that not even 6 years into his career he was already making some top notch Jazz music on a level not many other people at the time could reach. This compilation is pretty light hearted and easy to digest for a lot of fans of Miles' discography and music as a whole. It won't blow your mind by any means but it is something nice to chew on in the meantime while you search for something more structurally rich and thought provoking. Sometimes less is more and Birth of the Cool definitely fits the bill for that.
First time listen Good Miles Davis album. Not his best work, definitely a little more low-key than some of his most famous stuff. I still found it to be nice background music. Feels like walking through a bustling city taking in the scenery. Didn't really have a favorite or least favorite portion for this album, it all blended together well and made for a pleasant experience 3.5/5
Too long….
Miles is right, this album is cool as hell. Too cool for me, unfortunately. I’m not a blues fan. Not the kind of instrumental tracks I like, but obviously he’s very talented.
It was good but once again, I'm a jazz ignoramus. Would make for a good soundtrack for Pixar shorts.
I’m not a jazz fan, so couldn’t get into this, but I suppose it’s good for what it is. My untrained ear doesn’t know though, because it all just runs together to me. (3)
Exceptionally forgettable background music. I would challenge myself to focus on one instrument at a time, and 30 minutes later I realised I hadn't listened to any of them. This happened several times.
Zone out a fair bit. Same jazz music throughout the album except for the last song. Darn that dream has lyrics. Lots of darn in that song.
Was good through and through I would say. Couldn't tell you which song was which, but I enjoyed listening to it while at work. Caught myself bopping my head a few times. I do know the first half of Move was good though, the first song on the album lol
Skipped most of this one
Fantstic album
шось не йде
Lush and elegant jazz. Very "Cool" indeed by Miles. Appreciate the melodies too, colorful and creative. Probably a landmark in Jazz music? Not really big in Jazz, but this is probably one of the greats.
Lively jazz. It makes for great background music for entertaining
I really liked this one! Great tempo and vibes for me!
Jazz isn’t my thing but def can appreciate the mastery
Everybody reckons this bloke is a genius. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a song of his. I’m intrigued. Every song on this album is pretty much the same just longer or faster than the others. It sounds exactly the same.
To be fair I can't imagine that there was anyone cool before Miles Davis
Didn’t realize this was all instrumental but I also know nothing about miles Davis. Sounds real chill Post listen: Turns out miles Davis isn’t Sammie Davis jr. music all kind of just blends together and there were no standout tracks. Maybe I’m just not into jazz
The fact that I love jazz yet feel like I don't really know specific albums (or even movements, and aside from the truly big names, artists) is perhaps best evidenced by having never listened to this particular Miles Davis album. Hell, I even somehow have Kind of Blue and Tribute to Jack Johnson on vinyl but have never heard Birth of the Cool. Anyway, every jazz recorded I've been assigned on here has been 4 or 5 stars, and I expected this to be the same. It did not disappoint. Instant add to the top of my list. The entire band fires on all cylinders right from the onset. I've listened to it twice now, and I'm sure there will be many more to come. Easy 5 stars.
Perfect album,a true classic …
When I hear this album I can only wonder what happened to the other Jazz greats of the era, Roy Donk, Paul Buffano, Marcus "The Worm" Hick, and Mookie Kramer & the Eight Balls.
This is, I believe, the earliest recorded music in the entire challenge. While the album came out in 1957, some of the songs date as far back as 1949. In this era, jazz really was the coolest genre. Miles Davis would remain in the shadows of rock n roll, influencing other musicians for decades to come. Here is the early first steps of Davis, stepping out of the shadows of Charlie Parker's band. It's not quite true to say that his innovations led to rock music, but he certainly was an important voice in story. So this album seems like as good a place as any to have started the journey. The birth of the cool indeed. I couldn't have done without the vocal track at the end though, which felt like an odd add-on and didn't really fit with the other songs in my opinion.
I don't like jazz but it's tolerable
Another essential record
Pretty cool sound, I liked it better than I expected!
This is very good, but I'm not sure I prefer this to smaller band Miles. He has so many good albums, I'm not sure I'll listen to this one as much. 4/5
Not my shit... but cool 7/10
To be honest, I’m not much of a jazz fan. Most of the time I feel like I don’t fully get it. Still, this record was a pleasure to hear. For me it wasn’t something incredibly unique or mind-blowing, but it created a clear picture in my mind: a big city during rush hour, people moving quickly, cars passing, everyone going somewhere. The music kind of flows like that movement. Overall it’s a good album and I enjoyed the experience.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Boplicity Third Miles Davis album. I've got no inherent problems with this album or the genre in general, but this seemed to be lack in variety unlike the last two (Bitches Brew and Kind Of Blue). I'm not sure this is something I need to hear before I die.
8/10 Favorite: Moon Dreams
jazz sax
The title of this album pretty much sums up what it is that you're listening to, which is the confirmation of cool jazz as one of the premier forms of the genre. This isn't my favorite era of Miles Davis, but it's interesting to hear him so early into his career before he started branching out into more experimental areas and trying to redefine what jazz is.
Album vieillissant qui montre que cette forme de jazz est sympa mais sans plus
I just love cooking to Miles Davis, always have. Beef Bourguignon this go round :)
acompaña un dia de lluia o una noche de trabajo
This is my kind of jazz music. Laid back yet intricate.
Äthat s the old 😎 cool
shoutout lisa simpson B4 isn't a legitimate song music to aggresively snap your fingers to enjoyable, albeit too repetitive for my taste 3.5/5
As someone who just does not like fast, swing-y jazz, I unfortunately have to put this one in the 'not for me' pile.
No es mi estilo pero realmente se hace muy disfrutable al tipo. Tiene ESO que, aun sin ser conocedor del género o querer meterme tanto, se nota que es un distinto. Lindo álbum 7/10
Jazz, upbeat, good vibes. Would listen again.
YAY MILES
I think I like this more than Kind of Blue. The highs may not be as high but it’s just easy listening the whole way through
This is a time and place album, I probably listened to this thing a hundred times the fall of 2020. It was a calming presence at a weird time to be alive
Love the tempo and the harmonies followed by back-and-forth solos for each instrument. Cool 3.5
There is no question that Miles Davis is the coolest man ever to live. This record is sweet, its kind of all over the place with genre fusing. He takes you places high and low, deep and dark, energetic and chill. I'm not sure I was in the headspace this week for music, so I can't say this blew my mind like other ones, but I did enjoy it and listened to back to back 3 times.
Wonder if Miles Davis knew his music would be using as background for setting up personal injury claims 🤔
Classic fucking album. Amazing
Just what I needed today, an old friend. Embarrassed to say I originally purchased this CD not because I loved the music but to try and cultivate an image. As a single young man I thought having a dash of Davis and Monk and Adderley would help me outcompete my peers who were all Sublime and Smashmouth. The classics won me over, of course.
Probably the coolest album title of all time. This dude was so good, he called out the fact that he was inventing a new genre and it fucking stuck. Nuanced, tasteful, vintage, and a type of jazz that I bet (almost) anyone can find some joy in. Someone shoot me if I ever give a Miles Davis album anything less than a 5.
I can appreciate the iconicness of Miles Davis and how he changed the trajectory of music but I don’t like the sound of trumpets enough to enjoy this album.
One of the greatest jazz (and all around) albums of all time.
Miles Davis is exactly the kind of jazz that I like best. Smooth ensemble sounds and virtuosity without attacking the ears. Love it, can't wait for the next album in this sub genre.
Great album. Miles is The Cool. Five stars
3.0
I think I may have heard this one in full before, but Miles Davis is always a good listen. I think Kind of Blue is the seminal work but this is close.
Have listened to bitches brew before but this is more trad, definitely a classic and very accessible
Primera escucha: Ni siquiera sé cómo empezar a describir lo que siento cuando escucho este primer track; es tan divertido, tan cambiante, tan upbeat; yo sé que va a ser un 10/10 para mí. Después de mi primera escucha, siento que debo hacerlo de nuevo. Segunda escucha: Quisiera poder decir más de este álbum; siento que funciona perfectamente porque todo suena tan coherente. No sabría todavía cuál es mi favorita, sobre todo viniendo de álbumes de jazz mucho más cortos que este, al menos en términos de número de tracks. Ok, lo escucharé de nuevo. Tercera escucha: Tal vez “Move” sea mi favorita, como amo es breakdown que ocurre con la batería. Amo en “Jeru” eso que hacen en el minuto 2:40, como que se vuelven sombríos esos vientos, me encanta ese pequeño momento. “Moon Dreams” es un cambio muy hermoso, amo amo como van subiendo en el minuto 1:25, es tan hermoso como suena tan sincronizado por unos segundos, como que en esos pequeños momentos parecen ponerse de acuerdo todos, booooof esa subida que se mantiene colega en el minuto 2 y luego desciende tan miedosamente, como si estuvieras caminando por la calle mientras miras la luna y te mal viajas un poco a veces. “Venus De Milo” siento que tiene una de esas introducciones que ya apenas la escuchas ya sabes cuál tema es, también puede ser de mis temas favoritos, porque escuchándola se me ocurrió y escribí una canción sobre una “Venus” JAJAJ creo que en el minuto 2:15 se empieza a escuchar como a veces dan el cue con la voz para los cambios. Ese bajo hace su trabajo toda la canción, no paro de seguirlo con el pie. “Budo” me parece tremendo esa velocidad con la que empiezan, ya es un gran layout de lo que va a ser la canción, lo mas increíble de este tema es ese back and forth entre vientos y batería, es como una batalla. “Deception” hay un corte de una toma en el minuto 1:32? O que le pasa a los niveles en ese momento? Es como si hubiesen cortado una toma y spliceado la otra pero se siente ese pequeño momento. Me gusto mucho esa trompeta que entra como a un solito mas duro que las demás, hermoso. “Boplicity” tiene esa frase que sé que recordaré toda mi vida, es tremendo lick. Me gusta bastante, al igual que “Rocker”, aunque esa al principio no me gusta tanto como cuando ya llega al momento del “pick-up”, pero no destaca tanto como las demás canciones. “Israel” se mantiene bastante swingy, tampoco mucho más por agregar, hay algo que suena a clarinete, pero no estoy seguro si llega a ser una trompeta, como me encanta el clarinete. “Rogue”, creo que es un buen track; definitivamente, ya al final, muestra cada uno un poquito de su parte y un buen solito de trompeta. La parte donde la batería suena muuuy al fondo y todos los demás instrumentos se detienen, es perfecta. Luego el back and forth entre los vientos. Me encantó, Miles Davis nunca me decepciona, pero si tuve que sentarme bastante activamente en 3 escuchas para identificar bien qué es lo que me gusta. 9/10
I cannot say that I am jazz person, that would be a lie. It's not a genre I generally seek out. This may be my way in, I really liked it. I found it was floating nicely in the background of my life, but kept me vibing along. Nice grooves and beautiful trumpet work. I will likely come back to this.
Miles Davis is one of my favorites, but when it's 70s fusion Miles lol. Should have been Bitches Brew.
I dont think I can deal with another jazz album
I liked this but if it were any longer I wouldn’t.
Love it!
Dope
Cannot listen to it on its own, need to either watch it performed or functioning as a soundtrack.
True classic
Literally the birth of cool jazz as an alternative to bebop. Slower, more melodic and harmonic. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Jeru Venus De Milo Israel
Smooth very hip vibe
the jazz is kicking thru me WOAH
Very cool!
alright
Don’t listen to Jazz daily but this was great to listen to while wrapping up the work week
<3
To modern ears, this doesn’t sound as innovative as it apparently was at the time, but close listening is rewarded over and over again. Gil Evans’ arrangements in particular are intricate and intoxicating. The 2019 remaster does an excellent job increasing the auditory separation of the different horns as well as making the rhythm section more present. A masterpiece.
Estuve bailando como abuelo con parkinson durante 30 minutos
I’ve heard this before and i own it too. Can’t remember the last time i listened to it but must’ve been over a decade ago, and it feels like im listening for the first time again. I didn’t realize this is a compilation and was released in the late 50s; I thought it was released in the early 50s but it was just each of these 78s was recorded in ‘49 and ‘50. So anyway, this is the first of many times Miles changed the course of american music. It’s interesting how there’s still plenty of bebop influence in here rather than a complete stylistic break, though I’m sure someone who knows more about jazz could give me a rundown of everything new introduced here. You can also hear the roots of hard bop and modal jazz in here. And there’s plenty that fits the cool jazz style that recognize. I’ve gone back and relistened 3 times now and am still catching things I missed and now I’m going to have to go through my whole miles collection. I’m getting tired of rating everything so high but I can’t help it, this album rules.
some decent stuff but too much for one sitting for me
Not as interesting as some of his later stuff but some good bops
Smooth bombast brilliance ★★★½
Very pleasant. It was good Easter egg making music
nice and chilled, good lounging music
Cool and Competent. It did fade into the background while I was listening to it but I liked it. The trumpet led the whole album. Highlights: hard to say because I stopped paying close attention to individual tracks but the sound was good From Musicboard (OG 1/14/26 [#24] Imported 2/26/26)
Excelente
Good vibes to work to and some real classics in there, last song is for sure a skipper which is a shame.
Nice, but not memorable to me. I just don't think I have enough knowledge about jazz and instrumental music only to truly enjoy it really. I may try to listen to it again.
a fun listen but i enjoyed reading abt the album more than playing it. it was interesting to read abt how ppl found it 'strange' at the time / didnt think it sounded like jazz / spotted the influences of impressionists like ravel, bc nowadays that slower 'cool' jazz is so ubiquitous it deffo doesnt come across as strange and unique. but it does come across pleasant
very smooth sounding but felt quite repetitive
Nice
I feel birth reborn and cool. Liked the short songs, kept things interesting. Weakest track was the last one, didn't enjoy the vocals. I'm fine with just musicians showing off.
Decent 3,5
It's some lovely jazz that I quite enjoyed. Not much more to say, sadly, as I'm still not the biggest jazz person.
Cool jazz indeed. Whilst I couldn’t tell you any of tunes off the top of my head, it all just flows so beautifully and the players are all absolute top-notch. A masterpiece.
Miles Davis has a smooth sound. I enjoy it. It doesn't light me up enough to buy the album, but its smooth.
The pun is right there: it’s so … good
+Move +Jeru +Moon Dreams +Boplicity
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Var en angenäm lyssning, det är ett angenämt och coolt album. Mer laid back än vad jag minns av andra Miles album. Inslag av storband men kryddat med modernare jazz. Ingen expert men soundet känns modernt för att vara från 1957. Hantverksmässigt är det fantastiskt. Jag är inte normalt en jazzlyssnare men jag skulle kunna tänka mig att sätta på detta dagar hemma och bara softa. Tvekar mellan en stark 3a eller 4a. Gillar framförallt Moon Dreams.
This was a big yawn for me. I’m sure this is all technically proficient, but it was in no way electrifying.
Exceptional innovative. Favorite track: Rocker