Cool Jazz
Cool jazz is a distinct style of jazz that emerged in the United States primarily between 1949 and 1955, characterized by its relaxed sound and composed arrangements. Unlike the more frenetic and intense bebop style, cool jazz features a softer, controlled sound, often employing counterpoint, which combines multiple melodies. This genre typically includes diverse instrumentation, ranging from trumpets and saxophones to piano and vibraphone, and can involve ensembles as small as a trio or as large as a nonet.
Miles Davis is recognized as the most significant figure in cool jazz, with pivotal recordings such as *Birth of the Cool* and *’Round About Midnight* that helped popularize the genre. Other influential musicians in this movement include pianist Dave Brubeck and trumpeter Chet Baker. Cool jazz gained traction during a period when jazz was seeking broader appeal, coinciding with a cultural shift towards laid-back attitudes in America following World War II. The style not only mirrored these societal changes but also played a role in shaping a new audience for jazz, particularly among college students. As a result, cool jazz became an essential part of the American musical landscape during the mid-20th century.
Subject Terms
Cool Jazz
Cool jazz is a style of jazz that developed most significantly in the United States between 1949 and 1955. It includes certain musical characteristics that set it apart from other styles of jazz, such as a relaxed sound and a composed arrangement. Cool jazz was instrumental in bringing jazz music into the American mainstream.
Trumpeter Miles Davis (1926–1991) is considered the most significant cool jazz musician. His impact on the development of cool jazz is apparent on several of the albums he released, including The New Miles Davis Quintet (1955), Birth of the Cool (1957), and 'Round About Midnight (1957). Besides Davis, other influential cool jazz musicians included pianist Dave Brubeck (1920–2012), trumpeter Chet Baker (1929–1988), and saxophonist Gerry Mulligan (1927–1996).
Characteristics of Cool Jazz
Cool jazz is characterized by a soft, relaxed, and controlled sound, hence the term "cool" in its name. This sound directly contrasts that of bebop, a style of jazz that features a loud, energetic, loose sound. A cool jazz band can include as few as three musicians (trio) or as many as nine musicians (nonet). Furthermore, cool jazz bands can include a wide range of instruments, including trumpet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, tuba, French horn, flute, piano, bass, vibraphone, and drums.
Cool jazz is usually arranged prior to being played, which differs from other styles of jazz that place more emphasis on improvisation on the part of the musicians. Additionally, cool jazz employs counterpoint, which is a combination of two or more melodies played simultaneously. Classical music composers frequently use counterpoint in their compositions. For this and other reasons, cool jazz is often considered a combination of jazz and classical music.
Historical Context
Cool jazz emerged at a time when jazz music was not particularly popular in the American mainstream. Bebop, which developed in the 1940s, was the main jazz style of the time. It did not find a wide audience partly because it was intense and complex. However, as the cool jazz style surfaced, it gained many mainstream followers. This was partially due to the behavior of musicians such as Dave Brubeck, who played on college campuses, exposing many students to jazz music for the first time and creating a new audience.
Cool jazz reflected the attitudes of many Americans following World War II. During this time, many Americans, particularly those on the West Coast, were focused on adopting more laid-back attitudes and emotional restraint. Cool jazz not only reflected these attitudes but contributed to them as well. The genre's slower tempo and rhythm compared to bebop's more intense beats were welcomed by consumers seeking a slower-paced life. Songs were constructed with many instruments and singable lyrics rather than complex phrases, and transitions between verses were fluid and more gradual. Important artists of the time include pianist Dave Brubeck, saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, composer Gil Evans, and the Modern Jazz Quartet, which included Milt Jackson (vibraphone), John Lewis (piano), and Percy Heath (bass).
Miles Davis
Miles Davis is widely regarded as the most influential cool jazz musician in history. Raised in East St. Louis, Illinois, Davis developed an interest in music at an early age and learned to play the trumpet. In high school, he began playing on stage. He played with Blue Devils, a St. Louis, Missouri, band led by Eddie Randle (1907–1997). Shortly after graduating from high school, Davis played with the big band of Billy Eckstine (1914–1993), which included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993) and saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920–1955), while the band was in St. Louis. Gillespie and Parker were leading musicians in the development of bebop, which was surfacing at this time.
In 1944, Davis began studying music at the Institute of Musical Art—later renamed the Juilliard School of Music—in New York City. It was not long before Davis was playing in New York City clubs with Parker. In 1945, Davis left school to become a full-time jazz musician. He played with several groups, including bands led by Benny Carter (1907–2003), Eckstine, and Parker.
In 1948, Davis coordinated a nonet, or a group of nine musicians. After playing at the Royal Roost in New York City, the group secured a contract with Capitol Records. In 1949, the group began recording in the studio. The recording sessions—three in all—eventually produced several tracks. The tracks employed a relaxed sound that later influenced the cool jazz style. Years later, in 1957, the tracks were released on an album, Birth of the Cool.
Prior to the release of Birth of the Cool, Davis forged ahead as a pioneer of the cool jazz style. He co-led a band in 1949, performing with the group at the Paris Jazz Festival. In 1951, he began recording for the Prestige label. Following a successful performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1955, he earned a contract with Columbia Records. He then formed a quintet, or group of five musicians, that included legendary saxophonist John Coltrane (1926–1967). With his quintet, Davis continued advancing the cool jazz style. For example, the quintet recorded The New Miles Davis Quintet (1955) and 'Round About Midnight (1957), which both included elements of the cool jazz style, among others.
Davis soon began experimenting with jazz styles other than cool jazz, including hard bop and modal music. This culminated in the production of Kind of Blue (1959), which is widely regarded as the best jazz album of all time. Over the years, Davis incorporated even more jazz styles into his music, including fusion and jazz-rock. These styles were especially evident on his double album Bitches Brew (1970). Davis continued influencing jazz music until his death in 1991.
Bibliography
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