Featuring unusual instrumentation and several notable musicians, the music consisted of innovative arrangements influenced by classical music techniques such as polyphony, and marked a major development in post-bebop jazz. As the title suggests, these recordings are considered seminal in the history of cool jazz. Most of them were originally released in the 10-inch 78-rpm format and are all approximately three minutes long. As of 2018, Lee Konitz is the only living member of the Birth of the Cool sessions.
PERSONNEL:
- MILES DAVIS, trumpet (all)
- KAI WINDING, trombone (January 1949)
- J. J. JOHNSON, trombone (April 1949, March 1950)
- JUNIOR COLLINS, French horn (January 1949)
- SANDY SEGELSTEIN, French horn (April 1949)
- GUNTHER SCHULLER, French horn (March 1950)
- BILL BARBER, tuba (all)
- LEE KONITZ, alto saxophone (all)
- GERRY MULLIGAN, baritone saxophone (all)
- AL HAIG, piano (January 1949)V
- JOHN LEWIS, piano (April 1949, March 1950)
- JOE SHULMAN, bass (January 1949)
- NELSON BOYS, bass (April 1949)
- AL MCKIBBON, bass (March 1950)
- MAX ROACH, drums (January 1949, March 1950)
- KENNY CLARKE, drums (April 1949)
- KENNY HAGOOD, vocal ("Darn That Dream" only)
- Recorded live at Royal Roost in New York for WMCA radio broadcast.
- (Tracks 1–9 on September 4, 1948,
- Tracks 10–13 on September 18, 1948)
TRACKS:
- 01. Move
- 02. Jeru
- 03. Moon Dreams
- 04. Venus de Milo
- 05. Budo
- 06. Deception
- 07. Godchild
- 08. Boplicity
- 09. Rocker
- 10. Israel
- 11. Rouge
- 12. Darn That Dream
- 13. Theme
- 14. Move
- 15. Why Do I Love You?
- 16. Godchild
- 17. S'il Vous Plait
- 18. Moondreams
- 19. Budo
- 20. Move
- 21. Darn That Dream
- 22. Moon Dreams
- 23. Budo (Hallucinations)