Birth Of The Cool

Not much to say

This is brilliant, laid back jazz. It's the type of record that makes you feel like you should be sitting in a dark room with a whiskey and a cigar. It is more accessible than some of his later music and will get repeat listenings from me

I don't know much about Jazz, but I can say I did not find this album pretentious as some other Jazz things I've heard, and it was quite enjoyable. 7/10

perfection

Cool - Bosch - Sunday morning

Classic album from classic guy like his earlier stuff better than his later. This one's a keeper for sure

Its smooth, simple and complex. I enjoyed that I could follow along with the songs and didn't feel scattered. Was it mind blowing, no but it was nice to have a jazz album I could simply listen to and enjoy.

This is fine as background music. I'm not annoyed with it but doesn't really thrill me. I probably don't understand the history of jazz enough to appreciate what Miles Davis is doing. For jazz lovers I'm sure this is a great album but I feel like I'm stuck listening to hold music. I don't think I like Miles Davis that much.

I dig this cool jazz sound, and I like it a lot better than a lot of the jazz albums we've had.

Cool was born in 1957, still cool nearly 70 years later

Slightly prefer the modular jazz of Kind of Blue or the hard fusion of Bitches Brew over the cool jazz of this but this was still an enjoyable listen from a master craftsman. Helps that the great Max Roach is on the kit.

Always nice to have miles Davis on, but it’s hard to remember songs without lyrics. These are great background cocktail party or study albums, but would I go back to it to really get in to it? Probably not. Still lovely sounding and great for the era.

Jazz! Pffft! They just make it up as they go along. I could do that. [To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb] Do-de-do-de-do-do-do...

Delightful jazz. Very cool indeed

This is the first jazz album that was ve kinda vibed with. Usually it's straight over my head. Not sure if this process has improved my perception, or if my recent run of bad albums has altered my standards

3.75. Cool

Was alright, but not very impactful to me personally

I don't know much about Jazz, but this was a nice album to have in the background while I worked on things.

Finally some jazz… not enough of it on this list. This isn’t my favorite Miles record, but it’ll suffice. He’s not even my favorite jazz trumpeter and I think his second quintet is where it’s at. Check out Lee Morgan if you want something more exciting. He could’ve been more legendary than Miles if he hadn’t been murdered by his wife…

That is Jazz for sure. Matched my morning coffee.

Bit disappointed with this- it just sounds like elevator music to me.

𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘭 may not have the universal aura of 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦, but it’s a landmark in its own right. Miles Davis and his nonet trade the frenetic energy of bebop for elegance, subtlety, and carefully arranged textures. The result is a cooler, chamber-like jazz that still feels fresh in its restraint — a pivotal step in Davis’s evolution and in modern jazz history.

A pleasure to listen to, it didn't feel like it was overworking my brain like some jazz, especially free jazz, does.

This is not a top tier Miles album for me, but it's still better than most of the music out there.

yup

The album title says it all.

Hard to believe this was the 1950s. The speed, the creativity the creative flow through each song was excellent. If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.

3.4/maybe not his best work. some scary trumpets

The slow songs are lovely. The fast songs hurt my brain.

I can see how he's talented, and it's amazing and cool. But I just don't enjoy jazz 😂

Very soothing

Definitely cool. Much more approachable than some jazz can be.

It is cool. I don't know much about jazz or jazz history but Miles Davis is infamous in music. The music is quite pleasing and nostalgically reminiscent of a bygone era. I imagine walking into a late night, smoky, dimly-lit den and sitting down not just to hear this, but to listen to it. Back when music was live and people danced.

Three jazz albums in a row, but I ain't complaining.

Jazz I feel does not get the attention it deserves on this list. To explain, I’m surprisingly religious when it comes to listening to a new album everyday, and with that I usually (sometimes I can’t decide how I feel so I’ll give it a few days/replays) only spend a full day with the album. Sometimes that means I only listen to it once or twice, which I think hurts Jazz music and Rap music the most. Both for similar reasons, that being that the enjoyment from jazz comes from knowing the song so well you know what notes/sequence come next, and for rap, knowing the lyrics and bars and trying to keep up with the song. But yah what im getting at is that I haven’t had enough time with this album, I also feel the same way about Johnathan Coltrane’s A Love Supreme cause I gave that album a bad review as well. But I can acknowledge that there’s an unbelievable amount of talent that went into this and that album. But I feel like both of these albums don’t have a lot to grab onto, it just feels like you’re drowning in music. But as I got my second and third full play throughs I started to actually recognize that he songs more and more. Sadly I just got sick to death of the same atmospheres sonically over and over again so I had to move on. I think over time this album could grow on me and I could see myself regretting this star rating. But sadly it’s not really for me right now.

Off the charts swanky

I'm too much of a pleeb to appreciate this fancy music.

Enjoyed this more than some of his other stuff

This is pretty seminal isn't it. The Birth of the Cool, it's right there in the name. Just changing the course of jazz history.

As a big jazz fan, I've always been okay with saying that, while I love the musicians he recruited and got into the mainstream (John McClaughlin, Herbie Hancock, for starters), I never much cared for his own music, with the exception of *Kind of Blue.* Well... it looks like I have to say I like TWO of his albums, now.

Decent listen

I'd expected to like this. It was pleasant, tight jazz. A big band sound was woven in and out, but each time I decided to classify it as such, it would cut to some nice piano. I like jazz, but I think I'm still not in the frame of musical enjoyment where I can devote my full attention to it. As a result I drift in and out a little bit. Perhaps if I was watching the performance, I might think differently... That's something to ponder later. One album per day. 4 Stars.

This is like going to a high-end European car dealership. You show up at dusk, and as the sun sets, the dealer mixes you a Manhattan and offers you a cigar. You don’t smoke, but you appreciate the cocktail. You sit in luxurious armchairs in his office, discussing what you’re looking for in a car. As you finish your drinks, he takes you to look at an impeccable sedan, fitted out with mahogany dash and rich Corinthian leather seats. You turn the engine on and a shiver crawls up your spine as the engine hums. The V8 purrs a quiet yet stern roar, telling you that it can keep calm and maintain decorum, but can also roar if needed. You don’t even need to take it for a test drive. This is the one.

A great album that makes you feel nostalgia

Okkkk

I wish I had more knowledge of jazz history so I can appreciate both the artistry and historical significance of this record. All I bring to the table is my ears, which tells me this is a pleasant jazz album.

I love this album so much that I know all the lyrics to every song

For the jazz lovers this would be a good one. A non jazz person it is difficult to listen to these albums, after a couple of songs it gets repetitive and boring. The type of music you will hear as background music on restaurant having a nice dinner.

Not bad. But certainly not the birth of cool. More Big Band than jazz, and Big Band ain't cool. Vibe kinda ruined by the one track that had a vocal. Really could have done without that. I think this needs another listen but for now it's a 3.

He is cool and there’s no other words to describe it

hard to compare jazz records. good genre though.

Listening to this album makes me feel like I should be shaving in front of a foggy mirror with a straight razor while telling the dame who spent the night in my apartment that she has nice gams and should call before she comes around, all in a voice that sounds exactly like Philip Marlowe. 5 stars all day.

Nie. 1/5

The album I put on when I'm trying to impress a classy lady. (W.A.S.P. by W.A.S.P. if she's FILTHY)

Remastered ça serait cool

There's cool, and then there's Miles Davis cool. 9/10

9/10. feels kinda refreshing to listen to some oldies especially the one with jazz genre after marinating myself in viral tiktok songs in the daily basis. good albums, it's giving coffee shop vibes, I'll definitely comeback to listen to this albums sometimes. the albums is not too long too, 30 mins is definitely the perfect length for songs like this.

Some of the slower songs (Moon dreams, Boplicity) I enjoyed as moody background music. Nice for working or reading. Many of the other songs are a bit too note-filled for my taste. I'm not a jazz nut, and I feel that much of the Jazz repertoire is meant to show off the technical and academic prowess of the players. At some points (Rocker for example) the big band sound makes me smile. But the solos turn me off again.

es un gran album perfecto para iniciar en la vida del grande miles davis

Eh, fine. Just not my jam. 1/5 stars.

rly nice! surprised i liked it so much.

A compilation album which seems (to me) to be a cheating. But here you go. I can't penalize the artist for the choices made by someone/a group years later...these are pretty great cuts. His best work? not by a margin. But better than half of what we have to trudge through here? Hell, yes. 4 stars.

Standout track for me here is Godchild

I don’t typically listen to jazz, but when I do… Just doesn’t get any cooler.

It’s enjoyable but not something I would normally listen to. 3/5

It started off strong and then got ok

I feel like this is very interesting perspective, as the first Miles Davis album I (and probably most people) is Kind of Blue, which I feel like is very sonically different from this. This is quite a lot more lively in terms of percussion and much more standard (I think) in terms of song length and structure. This means that its something you can nod your head to, but it doesn't feel as interesting or experimental as his later stuff, ESPECIALLY the fusion stuff in the late 60s and early 70s, albums like in a silent way are a million miles off this. I think I heard he began to hate this era of his career, which I can see, given how sophisticated his stuff began. obviously playing and stuff is great. Might have just been because I was listening more passively but I didn't really notice his trumpet jumping out of the songs, like its does in some of the later stuff. Favourite songs: Jeru, moon dream, Venus de Milo, budo, deception, bolicity, rouge. Overall around 7/10

A masterclass in jazz improvisation. Amazing tone and playing by all of the musicians involved. These tunes are still played regularly to this day by jazzers.

Fine? I am ambivalent about jazz.

I suppose it's good jazz, but I don't have the discerning ear to differentiate between good and bad jazz. I would rate it between 2 and 3, but I will settle on 2 because I'm unlikely to listen to it again

Good jazz. Different than the other jazz I’ve listened to. A bit more upbeat.

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 28/1001 This is more or less what I think of when I think of stereotypical Jazz music. I saw another review that stated Jazz sounds better live and a recording can't do it justice. I agree. I would be enthralled listening to this live. I still enjoyed listening to it here, but nothing can compare to the live sound of such a beautifully calming composition. For the period, the album is extraordinary even if it feels a bit more stereotypical to my modern ears. I still found it to be engaging and resonant. It's varied with captivating brass featuring fun trumpet, and warm sax. The beats evolve and each track has its own life. At tines the music runs with delight and at times it crawls with purpose. It's balanced and never dull. For these reasons I give Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis 3.5/5 stars

A solid 3 stars, weather dependent.

Dad, What is Jazz Music? Well dear, listen to this album - this is jazz. <puts on Birth of Cool> Ohhhhh, that's Jazz Music....cool Yes, dear, cool indeed! - END SCENE -

Good, but hard for me to listen to jazz for some reason

I know this album is important, it just didn't jive with me. I didn't really feel anything while listening to it. It would be a cool album to read/focus to. I will try it again in a few weeks to see if maybe it is my headspace.

Wat lekkere jazzdeuntjes die mooi bijna allemaal in de instrumentale en dinner playlist gaan.

Davis' first truly influential project as a leader—which produced a series of recordings between 1949 and 1951 that helped shift the course of improvised music—was publicly underappreciated for almost ten years. In fact, Birth of the Cool, the title by which these tracks are now collectively known, was not applied until 1957 when Capitol Records collected the original eleven 78rpm sides and reissued them as a cohesive LP. Birth of the Cool was the most important stylistic step to follow after bebop—generating an entirely new wave of playing that influenced a new generation in the early 1950s. It started as a way of finding a way to meld the polyphony and other modern classical ideas (discordance, impressionism, unusual instrumentation) with the harmonic licenses pioneered by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Its reserved, emotional affect was its most recognized aspect: a laid-back reprieve from the unfettered frenetic energy of bebop that seemed a perfect fit for the insouciant, dark-sunglasses-at-midnight spirit that was shared by the likes of Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz and other purveyors of the Cool jazz sound. Birth of the Cool was born in a series of rehearsals that began in 1947 in a small basement apartment on 55th Street: Miles was in charge, leading a crew of like-minded musicians. The musicians who popped in and out of that basement band represented the cream of the next generation of jazz modernists: Davis’ old friends George Russell and John Lewis, Lee Konitz, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin, Al Haig, Max Roach, Gunther Schuller, Al McKibbon and many others. Some—like Mulligan and Konitz—had been in a big band led by pianist Claude Thornhill who had developed a unique sound that drew generously from 20th Century classical textures and colors. The apartment was rented by arranger Gil Evans, another Thornhill alumni, who helped give shape to the music. The nine-man group they finally settled on was a reduced version of the jazz-band-cum-orchestra-brass Thornhill model: trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, piano, bass and drums. “We wanted that sound but . . . as small as possible, “ Davis noted, adding: “I looked at the group like it was a choir . . . I wanted the instruments to sound like human voices.” Most importantly, this “composer conclave” (as Russell described it) ultimately afforded the young trumpeter the first opportunity to spread his wings as band leader and to take an initial, calculated step towards a more relaxed, reduced sound. At first, Davis was “unsure of how to be boss” recalls trombonist/writer Mike Zwerin. “He relied quite a bit on Evans to give musical instructions to the players.” But soon he had “cracked the whip” and “dominated the band completely,” according to Mulligan. In September 1948, the marquee went up at the Royal Roost – one of Manhattan’s leading jazz haunts at Broadway and 47th Street – to announce the band’s first engagement, supporting Count Basie. Their residency lasted two weeks. It played only one other gig and disbanded the next year, but not before waxing 12 recordings for Capitol Records in early 1949 and 1950. With Miles name as the leader on the record label, the music was released over the next few years as a series of influential—but not best-selling—78s. Their initial impact was relegated to jazz critics and musicians. But before the 1950’s had passed, the critical world looked upon the Birth of the Cool sessions as a musical shift of seismic proportions in jazz. One critic hailed the nonet’s music as summarizing “the whole achievement of modern jazz up to that point.” Writer Martin Williams, in an overview of all jazz achievements of the ‘50s, hailed its influence (“the effect of melodic rhythm on phrasing and on percussion”) and its role in launching an ascending star (“the promise of maturity in Davis himself, particularly in those splendid solos in ‘Move’ and ‘Israel’.”) It had been a bold effort for the young trumpeter, and one that came with a price. While planning the nonet recordings, Davis had received the call of a lifetime: the opportunity to join the Duke Ellington Orchestra, arguably the jazz world’s most established and respected outfit. Miles still recalled being blown away: “[Duke] tells me I’m in his plans for the fall [of 1948], musically speaking, and he wants me in his band. Man that knocked me right out . . . But I had to tell him that I couldn’t make it, because I was finishing up The Birth of the Cool.” (Auto., p.121) It is nothing less than astonishing to consider that even at 22, Davis had the presence of mind and sense of commitment to turn down the security and stature-raising of a seat in Duke’s band.

The title pretty much says it all here. It doesn't get much jazzier than this!

Loved it. So much to unpack in terms of melody and song structure.

I realize it's a good album and Miles Davis is one of the best to ever do it. It just isn't my type of music.

I get it. I just don't GET it. Two stars because it deserves that at least. Two stars also because I just don't get it.

Still partial to Kind of Blue but this is good, should listen to again.

Well it's jazz. A genre I'm not in love with. It is very good and in its original form, only 35 minutes long. Again, I dont think I would give it a second listen.

Cool album not really for me though.

Classic jazz. I’m a fan!

Definitely cool, but me personally I prefer when he gets a little freakier.

It's a nice listen for sure, but doesn't stick out much in his discography and probably not something I would return to. Usually in jazz I'm looking for something more than just "nice sounding" and this doesn't do that much except for a few songs.

Very nize jazz! Dobra spoko!

A jam so cool my infant rested soundly through the whole thing.

Pros: Clean, classy, sophisticated. So short! 31 minutes long. Cons: It all just feels like the same song.

Oh yes, hard bop and bebop were always my favourite jazz genres (and later fusion too), but I completely understand the concept of "cool jazz" after listening to this record. Nine musicians, diligently playing together and never overtaking, it certainly is cool. Where improvisational jazz , bepop and big band come altogether in a perfect blend of smoothness. It's a perfect bridge between the complex arrangements of big band era and the more intimate small group formats that would dominate jazz in the following decades. Brilliant! 5/5

This album is cool (unironically). So good. Miles Davis kicks ass. This doesn't feel like a jam album. It has structure and is interesting. Also, "Move" FUCKS. Almost a perfect 5/5 but actually a 4.5. Liked Songs: "Move" , "Jeru" , "Venus De Milo" , "Deception" , "Godchild" , "Rocker" , "Israel" , "Rogue"

não eh mto meu tipo

Delighted to see this this morning. Chill, inventive, perfect.

Hört sich cool an, ist rein Instrumental und die einzelnen Songs ähneln sich alle aber es macht gute Stimmung

My first Miles Davis album! I was very excited to hear this one considering the lengendary status of this man. And I was even more disappointed about how unimpressed this album got me feeling, maybe due to how absurdly high my hopes were. I must clarify that I do not believe this record is bad. I do really appreciate its sound and the great performances. What I didn't like about it is how, everytime I listen to it, the whole project pass by without anything sticking with me. I wish it sounded more grandiose and energetic. So I'll leave it as a decent album, and I'm hoping to have greater experiences with the other albums from this legend.

I thought I would love this, but I only found it okay

Miles Davis is an amazing musician, I'm just not that into instrumental jazz. At least Darn That Dream has words. And it was fairly interesting. Can we get more of that? Best song: Darn That Dream

I get that it's a landmark, transformative album, and I was blown away by In a Silent Way earlier in the list, and I feel like a heathen not giving this five stars, but I just don't quite feel it the same way.

cool, indeed

Very cool

Cool sound :)

Just seemed like regular jazz, but I liked the non-instrumental song.

This was a really cool album to check out, especially knowing the tracks were recorded between 1949 and 1950. From what I’ve learned, this album was a key part of starting the ‘cool jazz’ movement. Cool jazz was a response to the energetic big band bebop sound of the time. It’s more minimal, restrained, and laid-back, making it a smooth and relaxing listen. For its time, this was a big shift in jazz, and it’s fascinating to hear how it all started.

Miles!

Miles, le trend-setter! Grande qualité des thèmes mélodiques et des arrangements. Throwback au cegep, j'avais arrangé Boplicity pour 4 sax. Drôle de choix si Kind of Blue est pas là mais j'imagine qu'il l'est. Après sa période bebop et cool, hâte de (re)découvrir sa période modale (kind of blue), hard bop (cookin', relaxin', etc.) Et jazz rock (bitches brew, jack johnson)

Du jazz pour les connaisseurs du jazz! Herbie est encore au top dans le style!

smooth, cool but not moving me too much after the first song.

What the angels in heaven are listening too!

Oldest Miles Davis album I’ve heard, and it puts into perspective how quickly this man adapted and morphed jazz at his will.

Superb!

I’m not a fan of jazz music, but I enjoyed this album.

Sounded good. I love jazzy music, but less pure jazz, but this was totally enjoyable. Nothing really stuck with me but I found it consistently enjoyable

Good album, fun jazz but not my style

Maybe not the birth, but pretty cool nonetheless.

I mean it's alright I guess. I don't know much about jazz other than the gigantic influence on, not just black music, but black culture as a whole, but jazz isn't my cup of tea. If I or someone else wanted to start listening, Miles Davis is one of the small handful of jazz artists I would start with, and this album in general is a good starting point. Not my style, but I dig it.

This rocks dude jazz is awesome. I decided I'm gonna become a jazz person as I approach my thirties hell yeah

It's OK. Not one of my favorite of his (I prefer the stuff from about 1968-1975) but it's pretty good.

"Birth of the Cool" is a great name for this album. You just *feel* cool listening to it. This is the kind of jazz I've always wanted to 'get into' but didn't really know where to start. I could listen to this endlessly. A perfect album and so much fun.

Cool would get cooler

Good, needs more time with me

Solid jazz album but not as iconic as some of the others. Good background music I wouldn’t be upset to listen to, but wouldn’t be a go to jazz album for me.

Another week, more Miles Davis. But we're going back to his earlier work this time, where the "Cool" was apparently birthed. I'll be the judge of that. A smooth listen. Davis was the gold standard in jazz for a reason, and the efforts of the rest of the nonet were instrumental (pun intended) in this compilation recording too. Nice and relaxing, yet simultaneously expressive. I got Davis's "Kind of Blue" much earlier in my journey here, and while I think nothing quite compares to that work, this was still a classic effort during the "cool jazz" era.

Jazz! Fand ich cool…

Title speaks for itself. He is cool.

This is what people think of when they think "jazz".

Not a single weak verse.

Leichter unspektakulärer Jazz. Es war auszuhalten.

Jazz makes me feel like life itself is an instrument, and I’m just finding my part in the tune

Felt like the sound track to a black and white movie taking place at a casino, but Moon Dreams is the one song I will go back to.

Im just a young cat who is barely diving into the delicacy and free spirited improvisation of Jazz. Even as a musician I think its unfair for me to rate this as I dont feel competent to. But Miles Davis was a go walking amongst the mortals. This was my first listening experience from start to finish. Glad it was Sir Miles Davis. My birth of cool if I may.

One of the greats of jazz. Banging little album but unfortunately the lack of lyrics in music will typically keep it at a background music tier for me personally.

Звук древний совсем.

Snappy, fast bebop jazz. Mid 50, feels more modern. Cool indeed. Perfect dinner party jazz.

Ye, it's kinda perfect. This edition, only 32 minutes long, is a very ambitious project. Traying and succeeding at capturing the essence of cool and prestige. All performances are top notch, all track are beautifuly written and masterfully arranged by Gill Evans. Mellow and easy listening but deep and complex nonetheless. Highly recommend Got to be a

Man. That title is right. This is cool as hell! Of course, I expected that going into it. This is Miles Davis we're talking about. He's only one of the greatest jazz artists to ever live. This is the earliest album of his on the list, 1957's Birth of the Cool. Well, "album," that is. You see, Birth of the Cool is actually a compilation album, containing 11 3-minute-ish recordings from 1949 and 1950. Does that make these recordings the oldest of the 1001 albums list? I don't know. There's probably a sample from like a movie from the 1930s or something in a different album. Despite their age, these recordings are great. This is perfect dinner party music and I mean that as a compliment. That's the neat thing about jazz. It's subtle enough to work as background music, but complex enough to be analyzed as a work of art. I love it. The short length of each song give this album a different vibe from the other Miles Davis albums on the list. There's definitely a difference between the shorter, more bebop-esque songs on Birth of the Cool and the longer, more experimental tunes of an album like In A Silent Way that make this album feel different enough from the others to potentially warrant the inclusion on this list. This is definitely my least favorite of the 3 albums of his that I've heard, but I can't deny the incredible talent that Miles Davis and his band show off in these recordings. Great stuff. High 4/5.

damn that's cool but i don't understand jazz enough to figure out just how good this is

o.k. but not my preferred style of music.

Trumpet galore

This jazz album sounded a bit more energetic than some of the other jazz records I listened to before. Still, it is hard for jazz to keep me fully invested. I like it as background music, but I also think there is background music that I enjoy more than this.

Loved it! Great vibe - the flow of the album was fantastic.

Miles is still clearly a trumpet god. I hope we also get "Bitches Brew" at some point. This is as cool as an album can be. Great listen. 8/10 fav songs : Jeru & Budo

Just nothing memorable. Nothing to latch on to.

For as much as I enjoyed Kind of Blue, I expected to like this more. It's all good, but I didn't remember much of what I listened to at the end.

What can you say... amazing.

Jazz is still not really my thing it would seem. I read that this album was under appreciated when it came out and later gained renown. Maybe I'm one of those people who wouldn't have liked it on release Standouts Darn That Dream 2/5

4/10

Barry B Benson once asked, “you like Jazz?” No, to be honest, not really. This is a good album, perhaps great to those who like jazz. But i can’t hack it. Regardless i’ll give it four

Can be difficult to judge musical genres which are completely outside of your comfort zone. This is a pleasant and enjoyable listen but can’t really say if it’s truly great or not

Cool

I really liked this album. Very different to other jazz I’ve listened to, much cooler in tone, which I think is to do with the omission of the tenor sax? Such an arresting opening and ending

10/10 - you said it Miles Davis, this might’ve well invented coolness itself

You can feel the talent and hear things that have been sampled or borrowed by other artists. But this was not my cup of tea. At times it was just unorganized noise.

Biblical.

It's a really good album, but not impressive enough to make me love it. It's not a 10 for me, but truly a 9. It's a very pleasant experience, with great instrumentations, Miles Davis is a great performer, and this album is the reflection of the work of talented people. I need more listens to really love it, but surly it's a great one. After all, it's Miles Davis, the album can't be anything but great.

YEAAAHAHAHAHAHAH i like miles davis :] have 1 of his records on cds... not this one though

Compilação lançada em 1957, com as gravações de Miles Davis feitas entre 1949 e 1950, é considerado o marco inicial do Cool Jazz. Mais suave e introspectivo em relação ao seu antecessor, o Bebop. Destaques para os arranjos de sopros e as participações importantíssimas dos saxofonistas Lee Konitz e Gerry Mulligan. Ótimo disco!

Admittedly, I have not delved into the jazz genre, but of course Miles Davis is one of the greats so I was curious to hear. Smooth and easy listening.

I'm sure this is incredibly ignorant but this felt like...generic, serviceable jazz? I'm sure it must have set the blueprint for what my own casual-listener yardstick is, but it just didn't grab me like Kind of Blue.

Ei tätä jazzia pliis

I'm not a big jazz fan, but this album was nice background music at dinner. And Miles Davis is a legend.

WTF is a compilation doing on a collection of albums? We have this amazing collection of paintings, check out this photograph! Sure, some good curation makes a compilation work as a whole, but an album works by design. It's a different thing! It's especially annoying since Miles has multiple incredible albums. That said, this highlights Miles at his most approachable. Solid band, solid arrangements, innovative without the 'irritation' of some of his more ambitious material later on.

3.0 or 3.5 / 5.0 Early Miles Davis songs just don't resonate with me, which is sad because he's got a crazy run of all-time great albums in his discography. I think the difference is as simple as albums that are "just" Jazz and albums where Miles Davis pulls the Jazz genre into an unexpected destination. Birth Of The Cool is a fine compilation of background music but miles (heh) behind In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, On the Corner, and Get Up With It.

Cool jazz. Iconic. But not my personal style of music.

This is a good album, but not the best that Miles Davis can do. While this album has some great tracks on it, it really just made me want to listen to Kind of Blue. Standouts: Moon Dreams, Venus De Milo, Move Rating: 4/5

Appreciate Miles Davis’s talent but not my cup of tea

Very enjoyable and forward thinking jazz album, though the final, vocal-led track really isn’t my thing.

That was some top teir jazzy jazz for sure

Good stuff but I prefer the more bebop stuff that was co-existing around this time also. And with the short run time of most of the compositions I am definately more drawn to Miles later more expansive modal/early fusion era.

If there werent any Davis albums on the list I would agree on the placement in the list, but we just had Kind of Blue which is better. 2/5

I don't think compilations should be allowed! but it was fine. good chill listen for a sunday morning.

I find this much more pleasant than Kind of Blue. For one, it's calmer. I think the instruments are more varied and mixed better.

don't know jazz too well, but the album sounds cool to play during a dinner party...very mellow chill vibe

The further back in his catalog we go, the more I like Miles Davis; less experimental and more normal. I typically like when musicians push boundaries, but not with screeching horns; it's like an icepick in my ear. They say if you don't like Miles Davis, you don't like jazz. That's bullshit. I love jazz but I only listen to Miles Davis when this list makes me. It's just generally not enjoyable for me. That said, this album was ok. There was too much of what I don't like and too little of what I do like in jazz to rate this very highly

Delightful. Out of the three Miles Davis albums I've gone through on this list, I'd probably say I'd rank this lower, but it's still a nice listen. Liked Venus De Milo and Moon Dreams the most.

Enjoyable but Miles has many better records

Everything about Miles is cool. This lp is a master work. Little did they know when this was released what was to come over the next decades

Fantastic album, it flew by and I wanted to hear it again the same day. It incredible, maybe even flawless. 5 stars, no question.

Bigg(er) Band Miles slows down hard bop tempos and finds success.

All I can visualize while listening to this is a living room from the 60's. It has blond coffee and end tables that are in some mod shape. There is a low-slung couch covered in a nubby eggshell blue fabric. All the flat surfaces have several overflowing ashtrays and old fashioned glasses with melting ice. There is a haze in the room from the cigarette smoke. This album is playing in the background as the drunk guests gesticulate wildly with lit cigarettes and drinks in hand. There's a starburst clock on the wall that indicates it's 2:10 a.m. Jazz is always background music for me.

i can see why people would like it. it's not my thing

A pleasant listen, but falls flat compared to Kind of Blue and In A Silent Way. I loved learning about the role Miles played in the birth of Cool Jazz.

Sometimes It Takes You A Long Time To Sound Like Yourself 1001 Albums Generator 81 (07/24/2025) I can't believe I got 3 Mild David albums in the first 100. He is one of my favorite artists of all time, so I am quite happy about that. Birth Of The Cool is a compilation album released by Miles Davis 7 years after its last recording session. All of the tracks on Birth Of The Cool were recorded by Miles' Nonet between three sessions in 1949 and 1950, with many of the musicians being different across different sessions while the instruments themselves were essentially consistent throughout. As the name suggests, these songs, many of which were released as singles around the time they were recorded, constituted a foundation of the cool jazz sound that would become very popular in the earlier part of the 50's. I'm going to be vulnerable. I kind of don't like cool jazz that much. Don't get me wrong, when cool jazz is mixed in with other sounds, like hard bop on Cannonball Adderley's Somethin' Else or modal jazz on Miles' own Kind Of Blue, it can be really great. But something like Birth Of The Cool, where even the faster paced songs are still fully entrenched in the "cool", is hard for me to fully get behind. It's not bad at all, but it fails to really be memorable in the way that my favorite jazz (and favorite Miles) albums are. Moon Dreams, while beautiful, encapsulates what I'm saying quite nicely. The arrangement and instrumentation itself is beautiful, but it just washes over me and I forget that it happened at all. Godchild has some energy behind it, but I don't know; it doesn't feel particularly high quality or anything. Again, this is just personal preference; I prefer my jazz weird, energetic, and memorable. While the songs on this compilation were inventive for the time, they do feel very much like background music to me now. Venus De Milo is extremely catchy and fun. I think the horn harmonies in the background behind the main melody are especially striking here and the melody itself is awesome. Budo has a fantastic energy that makes me long for more bebop on this thing. Rocker has always been my favorite song and it's the only one that really gets stuck in my head. Israel is uniquely arranged and composed as well, with the intro being really interesting. Overall, Birth Of The Cool works well as what it is: a compilation of early Miles recordings that were highly influential for cool jazz. It is of no fault of these songs that cool jazz happens to be one of my less favorite subgenres of jazz. 3/5. Favs: Venus De Milo Rocker Israel Least Fav: Moon Dreams

Teils gute Songs, teils einfach wieder hektisches Jazz Gebrabbel

Kind of Blue von Miles Davis hat 5 Sterne von mir bekommen. Cool Jazz ist mir aber definitiv zu stressig. Aber für die damalige Zeit bestimmt ein Hit

Can't believe nobody was cool until 1957

Do you like jazz

There are some nice tunes on this- and there are moments where everyone is playing together and it’s lovely and melodic. And then there are moments where dudes are soloing and I get bored. The songs are all right around three minutes so the portions are perfect. It’s fine THREE STARS

An amazing and very atmospheric Jazz album. A classic 4/5

Miles' masterpiece. Jazz has never sounded this good. Excellent album.

Incredible. There's a reason he is considered a jazz master.

fabulous early Miles!

Easy listening. No one song stuck out to me but I enjoyed the album as a whole. I saved it to my library to use as study music in the future.

No, it wasn't.

Very solid jazz album. I like Davis' more experimental stuff more but this is still very good I mean it has "Venus de Milo" so I can't go lower than 4.

É jazz. Puro Jazz. O que vem na cabeça quando falam "jazz". É isso. Esquecível. Já é a imagem consolidada do jazz, nada de diferente.

Þvílíka dúndurstemmningin sem fylgir þessari plötu. Þetta er algjörlega plata sem mun vera mín pabbatónlist. Eitthvað sem ég set á heima á meðan ég elda eða er bara einn að njóta kvöldsins og allir farnir að sofa. Ég komst í svo gott stuð að ég hækka úr 4.5 í 5.

Not my bag

Cool.

This website is going to Stockholm Syndrome me into liking Jazz, I swear. It saw Jazz listed as one of my bottom 3 genres and then gave me some pretty good albums for 2 days in a row. Not a lot to say about this one other than that it’s good. Easy to follow, and very soothing on the ears. Not something I would ever actively seek out, and picking a favorite song for a Jazz album just sounds like a gargantuan task, but overall it’s pretty good. Was able to groove to it for the entire day. Apparently Miles Davis is considered by many to be the best Jazz artist of all time. He's got a few albums on here, including the highest rated Jazz album on the site. This is the first one of his that I've rolled so far though. So, yeah. I’m actually starting to feel it now. You win this round, Jazz. I’m bestowing my highest honor for this genre of music, a 3.

I really like this, but I'm struggling with how to rate it. like, it's entertaining to listen to and very cool indeed. musically delicious and satisfying at the same time, would I ever seek this out as something to listen to? jazz rarely fits into my life so how I typically rate albums on here (how likely I am to relisten) doesn't work on this as well. I landed on 4 stars because it's pretty much a 5 star album that I don't want to listen to

Second jazz album of my collection.

I love this Miles. Definitely one of the more frenetic albums of jazz i can tolerate but its like the album suggests. This IS COOL. Get used to it...

Not something I'd listen to again

It's good, but it feels more like background jazz at a club than something truly noteworthy.

An early career, undeveloped Miles Davis + bad recording + a collection of singles retrofitted into an album = an interesting curio and document of this period of his career, but ultimately barely a footnote. 2.5*

Awesome jazz album. Feels generic but probably because it is so influential.

wasnt a fan, could have been in a mood

I'm not cool enough for this, and that's ok with me.

great album

Currently listening to it! Really liking it so far. Has a cool groove and tempo. Some interesting almost big band note runs at times.

Not my favorite Miles album, but even then - it's pretty damn good.

Another excellent Miles Davis album

Every Miles Davis album we’ve had has been superb and this continued it

Very smooth and seemingly less experimental. Probably why I liked it more than some other jazz I've listened to but as one other reviewer said - better appreciated by someone else, I'm sure.

Loved it so much. So cool, so smooth, I really can't get enough of it. If nothing else this list had shown me how much I enjoy jazz music.

Yassss, kween. Excited for some jazz. This jazz is busier than I'm used to listening to. I also have no basis to know or understand if/how this album is good or important. All I really know about jazz is if I like it or not. I actually know track 1, Move. I have no idea how but I somehow do. Track 3, Moon Dreams, feels like it's from a noir film, I kinda love it. Track 5, Budo, is great. It's busy but still familiar to other jazz I listen to. Track 7, Godchild is great, feels very classically jazz, so good to listen to whilst working. Oh man, track 8, Boplicity is soooo good.

Max fuckin' Roach on the drums, what a killer listen

This got me reading up on the origins of the slang, "cool", which is attributed to 1940s jazz. This album sett a milestone for the specific genre of "cool jazz." Tt's interesting to listen to the albums that precede an artist's magnum opus (in this case, Davis' Kind of Blue), as you can see the toeing the line of classical music (and though relaxed, cool jazz has the seriousness of classical) and something else, something new - that though there are intricacies in the composition, there is more improvisation, and at times, more emotion. I see Davis buliding the foundation for these complexities and emotions in this album. Perfect for sipping a coffee to, writing to, or just daydreaming to.

what a random album to pick, Blue Note was already in its heyday by 1957 and 'Round About Midnight came out the same year which is much better. Either way, still a good album. Starts off on an unimpressive note, and while none of the songs on the album are really memorable, Godchild and boplicity are highlights. 3.75 rounded to 4

Oh man. More Jazz? I'll do my best, but I'm just not sure what I'll have to say. It's always fine, and it always has sophistication that my ears apparently are too stupid for. Listening Notes: -Yep sounds like Jazz -Moon Dream has a slow, languid feel I like Review: I really wish I had something to say about jazz stuff. I don't. I can recognize its influence everywhere, and it always sounds fine. It's clearly a unique contribution to music that American culture (notably, African-, and Jewish-American culture) is rightly proud of, but its more opaque to me than any other music. Not having lyrics doesn't help. Since I perceive this as a deficiency of mine and not of the music, I will continue to give every jazz album 3 or 4 stars until I know what I'm supposed to get out of it. This seems good relative to the other jazz. So 4 I guess?

This is great jazz. Unfortunately for it, I am of the opinion that jazz music only functions as background music and this did nothing to dissuade me of that fact.

Dad- 4 Mom- 5 Mike- 8 Lori- 7.5 Michael- 8.5 Miles- 8 Cole- 7 Avg- 6.86

So I’ve said before I’m not a jazz fan, but this was actually quite pleasant - the music itself was very pleasant, it was like background music that when I listened was very nice. Like a 3.5 but not quite a 4

If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis... ...It was good, but felt like one huge song than an album. It needed a bit more variety for a higher rating. Favorite Track: "Jeru(Mulligan)"

Just okay, very jazzy so need to be in the right mood for it.

Brilliance.

9/10

Me hubiera gustado escuchar uno de estudio y no uno recopilatorio. Dicho esto, muy bueno. Miles Davis es lo mas grande que hay. No es mi disco favorito de él pero lo escucharía sin dudas.

Very jazzy.

oh i do love to tap my toe and wag my index finger why does it feel like the trumpet has words coming out of it and i can understand it? (i didnt get enough sleep)

I love the Monster's Inc soundtrack

Before: Woot. Miles. It's not one of the miles records I've listened to a lot either. Should be fun After: a really interesting stage for miles. Not my favourite but still great. More energetic than [x]'in with records, and much much more than the modal stuff. The tone is still there though. It feels a little bit more arranged. Slightly closer to a count basie band or Ellington etc. There is still mikes' slightly classical feel somehow even though it's quite bebopy.

The birth and ever-presence of cool, Miles Davis. What a fantastic, quick glimpse into the genius that is Miles. This record is such an easy one to listen to, keeping the attention high and just generally putting me in a good mood. The brightness of the record shines and it just sounds like the band is having a great time playing together, basically a recorded jam session. This is a fantastic album.

Great

Jazz. Cool I guess? 3 stars

Really is a cool album. Made me go looking for more Miles!

It's Miles, what more needs to be said?

I wish I were more sophisticated. I like the boppy structured shit better than the modal stuff I think. Sounds pretty good, but as the joke goes - there's no way to be sure.

Kan erkennen dat het goede muziek is maar ik hou gewoon niet van Jazz.

I think I’ve reached the point where I enjoy jazz, but still don’t “get” it outside the clear classics. Got bored halfway through. Crazy this was recorded in the 40s

Jazzy

Every time I listen to capital J "Jazz" i wonder if this will be the listen in which I "get" it. I don't! I play music and I don't really understand what the fuck is happening in jazz, I usually trust that if the jazz I'm hearing has made it to me it has passed several quality checks and must be Important. So I feel weird putting a number on this! I think it moves way more than Kind of Blue, which I've heard way more and bought on vinyl once to look smart. It's probably perfect but I have no way of knowing, so get wrecked, jazz, i guess.

Pretty cool. Some nice harmonies. Did not blow me away, however. But a nice listening experience. Nice to have some "actual" jazz for a change.

Thank you Miles, very cool.

Fire dawg

Hell yes. Looooved it

It's basic Jazz. Nothing special IMO

Норм джазец, но не лучшее от Майлза

awesome stuff

#9 Birth Of The Cool ~ Miles Davis It's some good jazz that has started to evolve out of the era of bebop to prioritise feeling over technique. Miles Davis started out his fame by taking over the rapid fire fingers of Dizzy Gillespie in the Charlie Parker Quintet and became well respected as a virtuoso of the trumpet equal to Gillespie almost immediately. But as years past, Miles was looking to expand and redefine his sound, no longer interested in being another Gillespie, but like him a pioneer of his own sound. Birth Of The Cool represents this attempt to deliver this new sound. Distinguishing features? The sound of this album is incredibly smooth and laidback compared to prior bebop albums. Solos are less flashy and feel more like breathes of fresh air through the haze of the jazz orchestra. And emphasise of 'jazz orchestra' because the arrangements of these songs are well thought out so that the sound of every trumpet, trombone, French horn (yes there's one in there), tuba (yes, also that), alto sax and baritone sax is taken into consideration and paired in different ways to elicit sounds of different timbres throughout each standard, or arranged in a fugue-like manner to propel the music forward like an oiled machine. If you are thinking this is sounding a lot like classical music, you would be correct, because this is basically the concept of classical orchestration, particular the impressionist or spectralist era of classical music: the creation of 'new sounds' via the blending of old. This is what gives Birth Of The Cool that very velvet sound: how each instrument interacts with one another in difference of pitch, volume and timbre. The relative slowness of each song helps drastically to highlight this 'new' sound of bebop jazz, as it basically puts Miles innovations forefront rather than the technique of the trumpeter. This is just a very solid album, and another good selection of songs for any jazz lover, or perhaps someone new to jazz to lay back and soak in the sound. If there was only one criticism, there's no big catcher song, it's all very neat and pretty but no earcatcher. It's just a well-done jazz session, which may be inconsequential for someone in tune to jazz, but might be a hard pill to swallow for a newcomer. Verdict: Birth Of The Cool, Birth of a Sound

Of course you shouldn't die without listening to a Miles Davis album, but while this was enjoyable it felt like background music. Don't really have the ears to appreciate jazz I guess

I just don’t like jazz all that much but this was an ok listen

stellar - the kind of music you think of when you hear the word “jazz.” Genre-defining. 5 stars

He’s a legend but not my style.

Both virtuous and relaxed. Another excellent reference.

A good intro to Miles - not as good as what came after. It’s a strong bebop record, but in my mind lacks the edge that hard bop provides.

i dig it.

Not a jazz guy

This is more like it! I like the more structured jazz band set up. Not stressful but still talented.

I don't think I really understand jazz, but this makes me feel like I'm walking through a city street late at night in the 1940s.

Gutes Instrumentelles Jazz Album, aber würde ich nicht nochmal hören. 3/5

This is such a strange album in Miles’ discography. Not squarely cool jazz but also not squarely bebop. It’s not like an album doing two sub genres at once is particularly novel, but it’s not something I associate with Miles. Overall, it's punchy, fun, and a good taste of what was to come. Favorite Song: Move/Rouge 8/10

point6.

Incredible jazz toots from the coolest cat around - makes my pecker swell up with joy

Ovaj me album nije ni blizu impresionirao kao njegov prošli i sad, čitajući biografiju i historiju, imam i objašnjenje. Ovo je puno "običniji" album bez puno eksperimentacije. Opet nije ni najmanje loš.

Favorite Track: Moon Dreams

On one hand, jazz can feel very samey and not have a lot to separate a particular record from the crowd of others. On the other hand, records like this on relisten give you those invigorating moments where the rhythm takes you. Favorite Song: Deception

This sound always puts me in a good, relaxed mood.

Solid, always a good listen.

Again not my favorite style of jazz:(

cool jazz

I do appreciate the talent and work that goes into the music. Im still not into jazz.

Not in my Top Ten of Miles‘ albums

such a fun listen. his mastery of his craft on full display

Glemte å følga med som vanlig, men va sikkert greit

aðeins meira bopp og minni drungi en í síðari verkum. hressilegur djass. aðra, 3,5.

Not my style of music, but nothing bad to say about it. If it were my taste I'm sure I'd absolutely love it.

Love me Miles Davis. Kind of Blue is in its own league but this one sounds very classic.

Delightful. What a musician.

Blaasinstrument

Thank you Miles, very cool!

Yep, that's jazz.

This album is definitely cool, as expected from Miles Davis. Really cool, chill vibes throughout.

I enjoy jazz I just don’t get it.

In the Canon of course. Only a 4 personally because it would be bullshit to say I appreciate jazz enough to make it a 5.

Nice and cosy trumpet things - I like the sounds and the feeling of the music and it made me happy so it gets five.

He really birthed cool

Good 'ol classic jazz album.

I'm a fan of Miles Davis' later work in hard bop rather that cool jazz, but hard to not see how brilliant and influential this was

Chill

Meh Standard Jazz halt

Great Miles.

Det treffer ikke helt i dag. Fullt mulig at en annen dag så ville dette vært helt gull.

An album for a winter evening.

Very solid foundational jazz album, not what I would choose most times but I liked it.

Cool 😎

He’s having more fun than the audience

sounds like a great jazz (good to be on the background but it has soul) so far 4/5 final thoughts 4/5 didnt dissapoint