Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Miles Davis: Birth of Cool (2019), directed by Stanley Nelson, is a documentary about the life, career and times of one of America's greatest musicians - jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer, Miles Davis. Nelson has created a powerful visual memoir of Miles Davis' life and the importance of his music and composition to jazz and 20th century music. He weaves archival footage spanning Davis' life, narration, first person interviews with former band members and colleagues, his family including his son Erin Davis, daughter Cheryl Davis and nephew Vince Wilburn, childhood friends, his former loves from Juliette Greco to Frances Taylor Davis to Marguerite Cantu, third persons interviews, and still photography to create a riveting documentary set to his music. The words of Miles Davis are voiced by American actor Carl Lumbly which are based on taped interviews that formed the basis of the Davis autobiography. The film follows a linear narrative from his childhood in East St. Louis, Illinois to his final performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1991 to the retelling of his last moments. One of the most powerful images in the film is seeing a still photograph of a bloody Miles Davis whose physical injuries were inflicted by New York Police Officers. One of the most moving interviews was with French singer/actor Juliette Greco recounting her love affair with Miles Davis whom I sensed never stopped loving him. Nelson has crafted an insightful documentary where his musical genius and the dark side of his personality meet fame in racist America set against the significant events of the last half of the 20th century. The film awes, inspires and offers up a candid and uncensored look at one of America's greatest musicians and composers. Nelson has succeeded in creating an intimate portrait of the man and his music and the importance of his music and composition not only to the development of jazz but to 20th century music. Do see it for you won't be disappointed for it's an excellent documentary that is well-crafted, beautifully shot and edited, and tells the story of an American master. Fans of his music will be enthralled as I was.

I appreciate biographical docs, like this one, that take a more balanced and honest look at their subjects as opposed to the more celebratory style, which tend to gloss over the negative aapects and shortcomings.

A must watch for any Miles Davis or jazz fan,

Como músico fue un genio sin fondo, la cantidad de cosas que creo y con las que experimentó fueron asombrosas. Su vida dejó mucho que desear pero su genialidad como artista es indescriptible. Grandioso documental que deja ver gran parte de la vida de este genio.

Extraordinary. Even icons can't escape.

I have his vinyl records and they always are cool.

This film lights the pixels on the screen the way Miles' music lights the fire in the soul. A truly well crafted biopic on one of the most influential and dedicated musicians humanity has ever seen.

For someone like myself who didn't know a lot about Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool is very interesting, but there could have been more music.

Skimmed over essential details of his life (relationship with wife and children, etc.) Beautiful sounds, as expected.

To attempt to condense the mercurial genius and astonishing life of as towering a figure as Miles Davis into less than two hours almost seems a bit of a fool's errand. But director Stanley Nelson once again proves himself as a documentarian who rises to the task, presenting a film that can welcome an unfamiliar audience as deftly as it can tantalize long-time fans of the man's work. He uses historical context and Miles' own musical timeline to convey a filmic version of jazz itself. It's not always linear, but like the way great music can make you recall something from your past and have it resonate in your present, Nelson threads these strands of incredible period footage with wonderful current interviews and the voice of the man himself into a satisfying whole. It's not a be-all/end-all Miles doc, nor does it try to be - it's an illuminating, infuriating, and inspiring capsule of a bona fide genius.