Give a short answer to each question (Use whole sentences!) 1-10. 1. The reading lists three qualities that can be used to describe and categorize “cool” jazz. What are they? 2. What Qualities are

Miles Davis Miles Davis, Lee Konitz, Stan Getz The Birth of Cool No style just appears overnight. Art evolves , and so did the “cool” style. Bix Beiderbecke’s playing in the 1920s is often described as offering hints of the “cool” style. Lester Young’s smooth and relaxed playing in the 1930s and 40s greatly influenced the “cool” tenor saxophonists to follow . It is the 1949 recording sessions of Miles Davis and Gil Evans that are generally referred to as the first “cool” records. As a matter of fact, these sessions were repackaged and released as “The Birth of Cool” five years after their initial recording. In 1945 , at nineteen years old, Miles Davis played trumpet on Charlie Parker’s first recording session. Although the young Miles is playing in a bebop context, it is obvious that he does not have the technical skills of a Dizzy Gillespie. Miles would rely on a l yrical approach to improvisation. Long tones, silent spaces and a smooth, midrange timbre would mark his sound even at this young age. In his autobiography Davis explained: “Diz and Bird played a lot of real fast notes and chord changes bec ause that’s the way they heard everything; that’s the way their voices were: fast, up in the up per register. Their concept of music was more rather than less . I personally wanted to cut the notes down, because =’ve always felt that most musicians play way too much for to o long……= didn’t he ar music like that. I heard it in the middle and lower registers. ” Four years later, in 1949, Davis was one of the youngest participants in a group of like minded musicians who would regularly meet at Gil Evan’s apartment. Gil Evans, at thirty -seven, was the oldest and most experienced member of the group. Although Evans didn’ t play an instrument, he had already achieved success as an arranger and orchestrator for the Claude Thornhill Orchestra . Evan’s cellar apartment was conveniently located on New York’s West 55 th Street. It was underneath a laundry and within blocks of the 52 nd Street jazz clubs and rehearsal studios. “Gil’s pad” (as it was called) became a meeting place for musicians to just hang out, take a nap, or have a drink. It became somewhat of a study hall for musicians to get together and discuss concepts and try out new ideas. Among these regulars were Gerry Mulligan, a lanky arranger who went on to become perhaps the most famous baritone sax player in jazz history , Stan Getz who ended up being the main force in the popularization of Bossa Nova, and John Lewis, a pianist/arranger who would go on to form the very successful Modern Jazz Quartet. Evans, Mulligan, Lewis had the arrangements; Miles Davis had the initiative and the record contract. The Miles Davis Nonet was formed. This coalition was multi -racial, multi -generational “The Birth of Cool” released in 1954 as a compilation after “cool” jazz had starte d to become popular. and culturally diverse. Davis, Lewis, Max Roach and trombonist J.J. Johnson were black. Evans, Mulligan, saxophonist Lee Konitz, and trombonist Kai Winding were white. Most came from swing band backgrounds but several had been trained in classical music and some (Davis, Lewis and Roach) had been involved in bebop and had p layed with Charlie Parker. The next tune to listen to is: Boplicity by Miles Davis with arranging by Gil Evans ; recorded 4/22/1949 in New York. Things to listen for:  An ensemble approach -Rather than bebop’s head -solos -head approach, the arrangements had t heir solos woven into the fabric of the whole arrangement.  Middle and low range of the instruments are featured - Rather than the screaming high pyrotechnics of Gillespie and friends, a smoother, richer, mid -range sound was emphasized.  Calm tempos -The rhyt hmic developments of bebop and Charlie Parker were not abandoned, but they were slowed down. Musical lines featured plenty of long tones, rests, and economical phrasing.  Rich harmonies -Full, rich harmonies are given a chance to “breathe” and be savored by the player and listener. Often the entire band would be playing the same harmonized melody together rather than the sectional approach of classic swing band arranging. Ironically, as influential as this group would end up being, they only booked one gig…. A two week engagement at the Royal Roost in New York. Three studio sessions in 1949 and 1950 produced 12 tracks. Eight of these tracks were issued a s singles but never really garnered any attention. It wasn’t until 1954 , when the tracks were released as the Birth of Cool album , that the achievements were acknowledged. By this time “cool” jazz was establishing itself as a new and very popular sound….hence the name Birth of Cool. Now, when you purchase the Birth of Cool you will get the twelve studio tracks plus thirteen live tra cks from the Royal Roost.