Customer Reviews

Out of the Cool

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The first and centerpiece song of this album, La Nevada (snowfall in Spanish) is one of the most beautiful and original jazz pieces ever written. Every time I hear it, it makes me stop and listen closely. The music is VISUAL, that is it conjures up images of nature dancing with joy. The solos, (of which I have memorized every note) are virtuoso improvisations. The rest of the album is great too. But La Nevada stands alone.

Sometimes you listen to a piece of music for the first time and it strikes you that it sounds so original yet so logical, so beautiful and natural yet so rare. This is how this music struck me when I first heard it in LP 20+ years ago. Is a recording for the ages. When the trombones come in out of nowhere in "La nevada" you feel taken by them, yet you feel like there is nothing else that could have come in but these bones. "Where Flamingos Fly" is a masterpiece of arranging and shows the artistry of Jimmy Knepper. The session continues with one beautiful surprise after another. Do yourself a favor and get this recording if is the only one you can get.

Following on from his three classic albums with Miles Davis, this is Evans' best ever album. Stand-out tracks are the long, swinging 'La Nevada', and the dark, moody 'Where Flamingos Fly' and 'Hidden Treasure'. The CD also has a bonus track, the jolly 'Sister Sadie'. Great arrangements, great musicianship, particularly Ron Carter on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. A real gem of an album.

Like other fellow "reviewers", this disk came to me in the '60s, when I was (ahem) younger. It was my first real, full-on jazz disk, and was foisted on me (a rank musical slob at that point) by a friend who loved jazz and felt very sorry for my plebian tastes (or lack thereof.) Well, long story shortened, he never got his disk back, and I have memorized it entirely, note by note. And O golly, it's always fresh, alluring, surprising.

This too, it's a wonderful argument for the value of CDs. This one, and "Individualism" were my first purchases... and Oh glory, there's even more subtlety to audit on the CDs!

All I want to add is this: Gil Evans is the ultimate crossover artist. From Jimi Hendrix to the blues, to the sonorities and moods of Maurice Ravel's music, he loved tunes and harmony and he LOVED each instrument in the orchestra. No one like him, not at all. Well, maybe Maria Schneider, who was (I'm told) his assistant at the end... She's got a good ear, but Gil was still the most amazing arranger. And, as others have noted, he sure had the players to do his imagination full justice.

I'll shut up now, and you go buy a copy, OK?

i am late to come to this amazing recording, however, with that said, it is never too late to appreciate this timeless recording. it is breathtaking. the reason for my passing on this title was the fact that i was affraid it would be big band bland. that is the biggest mistake i have ever made in presuming a jazz title. i was struck immediately and forever a fan of this and the into the hot LP. this particular title is my favorite of the 2. the into the hot is no lees of an achievement and should never be dismissed. get them both. you will thank yourself. thanks gil.

I've had "Out of the Cool" in my life for 30+ years. When CD's came into availability, this was one of the first of my LP's to be duplicated in CD. One of the finest ever.

Gil Evans has always been a master arranger for a jazz orchestra. The moods, colours and emotions he creates through arrangements is worthy of any serious jazz lover's attention. When can we expect his "Into the Hot" reissue please?

I love music of great harmonic complexity, but equal is the case for stripping to the essentials: using few chords and letting the musicians work

Gil Evan's does this on Out Of The Cool. The music here has bare bones structure: much of this is blues derived, but player's like Jim Hall on guitar and trumpet man John Coles do amazing work here.

Listen to how this music swings, breezing by as each musician makes a subtle contribution. Often they overlap, but Evans keeps the canvas so flexible, so flickering, the musicians work off one another, not against one another.

All this sounds a little academic, but academic does not mean detacted: Evans is neither ripping guts or pulling heart strings. He wants, and gets, all the little nuances ticking. Like a clock, once you hear it, you can't stop. But in this case you'll never want to.

I got this on ABC Impulse glossy gatefold, solid orange spine and all. 1961 A-4 in Mono. Eat your heart out

Se trata quizás del mejor disco del gran arreglador Gil Evans. En esta grabación plasma una sonoridad más compacta y menos grandilocuente que por ejemplo en sus colaboraciones con Miles Davis. Un disco de lujo, fino, diverso y potente.

Out Of The Cool is an all time classic by Gil Evans and his masterpiece according to many. The soloists are all on their best here and Evans' arrangements are superb. If you know George Russells music then the arrangement of Stratusphunk is a surprise interpretation of that great composer. This cd should be in your collection if you are serious about your music. All the soloing on this disc is to be played and heard over and over again. Probably Gil Evans's best work.