Dear Horn Brothers & Sistes
FYI:
Miles Davis trumpet (all)
Kai Winding trombone (January 1949)
J. J. Johnson trombone (April 1949, March 1950)
Junior Collins French horn (January 1949)
Sandy Siegelstein 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)
John Lewis piano (April 1949, March 1950)
Joe Shulman bass (January 1949)
Nelson Boyd 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)
----
Birth of the Cool
Miles Davis | Capitol Records
By Michael Fortuna
Discuss
As jazz's bebop movement flourished during the late 1940s with its
fast-paced rhythms from virtuosos like trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and
saxophonist Charlie Parker, trumpeter Miles Davis headed off in a new
direction.
Taking cues from the innovations learned in Parker's group, Davis, along
with his nonet, recorded 12 songs in a two-year span that, when released
together on one album, became known as Birth of the Cool.
This landmark album has been issued on CD several times, but now Capitol
Jazz/Blue Note has released a ³cleaner² version, with sound engineer Rudy
Van Gelder using the original source tapes during remastering.
In 1949, arranger Gil Evans's New York basement apartment, where various
jazz musicians had gathered, became ground zero for the nonet's formation.
For the three recording sessions that took place Jan. and April 1949 and
March 1950, Davis used the unlikely instruments of French horn and tuba,
something first brought to light by the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, of which
Evans was the principal arranger.
Davis also enlisted the more traditional baritone and alto saxophones,
trumpet, trombone, piano, bass and drums to complete the nonet.
This instrumentation, coupled with the likes of Davis on trumpet, baritone
saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, pianist John Lewis, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz
and drummers Kenny Clarke and Max Roach, created a warm, relaxed, albeit
³cool,² sound that would become the standard for West Coast jazz.
Even though these songs clock in at an average of three minutes, the Davis
nonet uses the shortened time span to create something magical.
Davis' trumpet solos are brief and don't fly at a furious rate, but you can
almost hear his soul pouring out of each note on Evans' graceful arrangement
of ³Moon Dreams.²
Mulligan and Konitz also follow the short-and-sweet-solo formula on songs
like the Mulligan-penned ³Jeru² and Lewis' arrangement of Denzil Best's
³Move,² respectively.
Birth of the Cool serves as a perfect example of how the music can evolve to
create something timeless. But this wouldn't be the last time Davis started
a revolution in the jazz world.
Track listing: Move, Jeru, Moon Dreams, Venus De Milo, Budo, Deception,
Godchild, Boplicity, Rocker, Israel, Rouge, Darn That Dream.
Personnel: Miles Davis: trumpet, Kai Winding: trombone, J.J. Johnson:
trombone, Junior Collins: French horn, Sandy Siegelstein: French horn, John
Barber: tuba, Lee Konitz: alto sax, Gerry Mulligan: baritone sax, Al Haig:
piano, John Lewis: piano, Joe Shulman: bass, Nelson Boyd: bass, Al McKibbon:
bass, Kenny Clarke: drums, Max Roach: drums, Kenny Hagood: vocals.
Style: Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool | Published: July 01, 2001
Avrum
PS: I studied horn with Mr. Siegelstein (for a few months in 1957 before my
studies with John Barrows) who had a position with the Yonkers, NY school
system. Apropos of the discussion about teaching transposition, Mr
Siegelstein taught me transposition when I was playing horn for about 6
months. Mr. Siegelstien played a brass Kruspe which upon his passing was
acquired by Yamaha and autopsied by Yamaha, the information from which
Yamaha designed the 668. Thank the Lord that Mr. Barrows banned Kopprasch
and brought me up on Maxime-Alphonse.
On 9/12/08 6:09 PM, "LOTP" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Martin et al:
>
> In 1968-69 I played with Sandy Siegelstein in the "Yonkers Pops" band. My
> old 802 directory lists a Yonkers (NY) address. Beyond that, I can't help
> you.
>
> Paul Truszkowski
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Martin Bender" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "The Horn List" <horn@music.memphis.edu>
> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 4:08 PM
> Subject: [Hornlist] Sandy Siegelstein and Junior Collins
>
>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> This request may be better answered by some of the older list members...
>> I'm looking for some information on these horn players, who were featured
>> (along with Gunther Schuller) on the Miles Davis "Birth of the Cool"
>> sessions. Evidently, prior to his death, Gerry Mulligan (bari
>> sax/arranger) had been telling people that Jimmy Buffington had been
>> present as well, but his name is not listed anywhere in the credits.
>>
>> Anything that you might be able to dig up (e.g. where they played before,
>> after, since, taught, etc.) would be appreciated.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> martin bender
>> _______________________________________________
>> post: horn@music.memphis.edu
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>
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