Culled from three separate nonet sessions that took place from early 1949 through March of 1950, The Birth Of Cool was the literal blue print for the sound known as cool jazz thus its title. Featuring the fluidity of bop, innovative big band arrangements and a relaxed overall elegance, the Gil Evans arranged sessions find Davis supported by pivotal performances from such jazz luminaries as Kai Winding, Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and Max Roach among others. Despite such a large band, the proceedings sound remarkably intimate with concise and sophisticated songs built largely on tone and mood. A seminal recording in the history of jazz!
