The Complete Birth of the Cool [remastered]

"Finally, a 20-bit digital restoration of these historic performances. The Birth Of The Cool Sessions, recorded during1949 and early 1950 were in direct contrast to the white-hot intensity of the prevailing be bop school.

These recordings are among Davis' most important works and, surprisingly, his first sessions as leader. The gestation of the cool was in essence a collaboration of the ideas and concepts of a group of young New York based Jazz explorers that included Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans, John Lewis, Lee Konitz and, of course, Davis as the movement's head honcho.

Compositions like Mulligan's Jeru and Venus De Milo and Cleo Henry's Boplicity signalled the future of jazz arrangement and composition, exploring textures, tonalities and unison improvisations that were foreign to the jazz of the day.
The Complete Birth Of The Cool also includes two airshots of the working band, recorded during this period. The sound quality is somewhat comprimised but nonetheless they offer a fascinating insight into the concept as a live experience.
The Birt Of The Cool sessions were a commercial failure at their initial release.

Over time, though, they've become one of the most admired and influential jazz performances of all time."
[Jug]