Re-Birth of the Cool

Gerry Mulligan

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 1992)
• Original Release Date: January 29, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Grp Records
• ASIN: B0000001S8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,871 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
On these 1992 sessions, Gerry Mulligan revisits the scene of his first musical triumphs, the classic 1949-50 recordings by the Miles Davis nonet. The original arrangements by Mulligan, Davis, Gil Evans, John Carisi, and John Lewis sound as fresh here as they did four decades earlier, and advances in recording technology give a much clearer picture of the orchestrations. The solo room has been expanded, and it's used effectively by trumpeter Wallace Roney and, especially, Phil Woods on alto, whose impassioned Charlie Parker-derived playing is an interesting contrast to the cool and elusive manner that Lee Konitz brought to the original. Successes are rare when roots are revisited, but this is definitely a homecoming that works. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent remake of the vintage classic, April 1, 2000

By	"ornen" (Norway) - See all my reviews

I have owned this record since it came out in 1992, and it is one of my personal favorites.

With a lineup consisting of partly the original 1948 Birth of the Cool recordings, partly new players, such as Phil Woods replacing Lee Konitz, Wallace Roney replacing Miles Dewey III, this album is a welcome addition to those who already own the Miles Davis Nonet recording. And to those who haven't heard Birth of the Cool: Check it out! On this fresh remake the tunes sound as great as ever, the ensemble playing is much more tight, the soloists sounding mature and in good shape. The songs are maybe a little short, but this music was not stretching-out-music in the first place. The arrangements are at front, and with a great new production like this, you can hear the material far better than on the original recording from 1948. It does by no means replace Birth of the Cool, but Re-birth... is, in my humble opinion, a truly great recording of not too often heard material with spirited playing by everyone involved.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gerry Mulligan Re-visits His Early Collaboration With Miles, October 8, 2007

By	Donnie The B (USA) - See all my reviews

I'm quite sure that it ate at Gerry Mulligan for years - the fact that the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions could have been done better. In any case, he was motivated enough to put together a small big band like the nonet gathered by Miles Davis in 1949, and play the music that he helped write and arrange 40+ years earlier.
Gerry is a much more accomplished musician here than he was in 1949. Wallace Roney does an enthusiastic and admirable job on trumpet, in place of Miles. I like Phil Woods' alto work as much or more than Lee Konitz, who played on the 1949 sessions, but was unavailable for "Re-Birth".
I would definitely recommend that true jazz fans should own both the original and this remake - but you can hear the music so much better on this newer recording. I'm glad that Mulligan followed through on this project.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost Totally Cool, May 23, 2003

By	L. Barnes "Trumpeter Too" (Mt. Vernon, New York United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Over all this is a very good date. The musicians on this recording sound as enthusiastic as on the original recordings. Gerry Mulligan and Wallace Roney are fantastic and John Lewis, as usual, is tastefully sparse and elegant. The only thing in my opinion that takes a star or two away from this date is Lee Konitz not being present. Aside from Miles Davis, Gerry, and John, Lee was the the other major voice on the original recordings. Phil Woods is great, but not for this date. On "Moon Dreams", in particular, Lee's plaintive, vibrato-less tone is so missed. It's like having a four legged table with the fourth leg missing.