Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Miles Davis – Music From and Inspired by “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool” on CD and Digital formats on Friday 21 February 2020.
An LP edition will be available from 6 March 2020.
Music From and Inspired by “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool” is the definitive audio companion to the critically-acclaimed and Grammy-nominated new documentary directed and produced by Stanley Nelson.
An essential Miles Davis playlist for seasoned fans and new listeners alike, the soundtrack was lovingly curated by the director and paired with short audio excerpts from the film for a unique listening experience. It brings together recordings and performances spanning labels and the artist’s musical evolution – from Donna Lee (a 1947 Savoy master take with legendary alto saxophonist Charlie Parker) to Moon Dreams from the groundbreaking 1949 Capitol sessions that were ultimately collected on the album ‘Birth Of The Cool’, through the seminal 1950s pieces for Columbia that revolutionised the worlds of jazz and popular music (including ‘Generique’, Miles’ improvised soundtrack to Louis Malle’s ‘Elevator to the Gallows’ as well as tracks from ‘Miles Ahead’ and, of course the most popular jazz album of all time, ‘Kind of Blue’).
The album also highlights Miles’s evolution in the 1960s with tracks from ‘Sketches of Spain’ and ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ to his iconoclastic invention of electric jazz/fusion (exemplified in a 45rpm single edit of Miles Runs the Voodoo Down from ‘Bitches Brew’).
Finally the album documents his triumphant mid 1980s comeback (1986’s Tutu), while premiering a brand-new track, Hail To The Real Chief. The new track features unreleased Miles Davis studio trumpet performances combined with music written by Lenny White, produced by White and Vince Wilburn, Jr and featuring an all-star collection of Miles band alumni and acolytes including White, Wilburn, Marcus Miller, Emilio Modeste, Jeremy Pelt, Antoine Roney, John Scofield, Bernard Wright, and Quinton Zoto.
With full access to the Miles Davis Estate, the film features never-before-seen footage, including studio outtakes from his recording sessions, rare photos and new interviews with Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter, among others.
Select interview soundbites are included as commentary tracks on the album.
Track Listing:
- Commentary: Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath
- Milestones (1958)
- Commentary: Greg Tate
- Donna Lee (Charlie Parker with Miles Davis) (1947)
- Commentary: Ashley Kahn, Symphony Sid Introduction
- Moon Dreams (1949)
- Commentary: George Wein
- ‘Round Midnight (1957)
- Commentary: Carlos Santana
- It Never Entered My Mind (1959)
- Commentary: Vincent Bessieres
- Generique (1958)
- Commentary: Jimmy Cobb
- So What (1959)
- Commentary: Gil Evans
- New Rhumba (1957)
- Commentary: Frances Taylor Davis
- The Pan Piper (Alborada de Vigo) (1960)
- Commentary: Jack Chambers
- Someday My Prince Will Come (1961)
- Commentary: Wayne Shorter
- Footprints (1967)
- Commentary: Carlos Santana, Quincy Troupe
- Miles Runs The Voodoo Down (45RPM Single Edit) (1970)
- Commentary: Marcus Miller
- Tutu (1986)
- Commentary: Erin Davis
- Hail To The Real Chief (Brand New Recording featuring unreleased Miles Davis performances; Produced by Lenny White & Vince Wilburn, Jr.)
