Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool 2019

In the lengthy musical history of jazz, Miles Davis is undoubtedly one of its most brilliant and influential figures. With his spellbinding performances, this trumpet maestro revolutionised jazz and remained at its forefront for much of his life. This film features interviews with many of Davis’s former collaborators including Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana and Herbie Hancock, as well as never-before-seen footage and rare glimpses of the musical genius at work in the studio. It offers an illuminating portrait of Davis's eventful life. At the age of 18, Davis’s talent was recognised by jazz master Charlie Parker and joined his band. Parker's influence on Davis was substantial, paving the way for his later groundbreaking forays. He was a consummate dreamer, non-conformist and a firm believer that his unique musical style would one day dominate the scene. His 1957 recording, Birth Of The Cool subverted the prevailing bebop style of the time and popularised cool jazz, while at the same time redefining the meaning of "cool" and laying the foundation of modern jazz music. When jazz started to lose its popularity in the 1960s, Davis boldly fused jazz with the ever-popular rock ‘n roll as well as funk, blues, electronic music and even African beats and hip-hop to form jazz fusion, once again turning the musical form on its head and in the process not only saved jazz from extinction, but opened a new path towards worldwide recognition.