Following a successful theatrical run, grossing over $1 million at the box office, Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool – produced by Firelight Films for Eagle Rock Entertainment and American Masters Pictures in association with BBC Music – will be released as a Blu-ray+DVD and 2DVD with bonus Montreux concert footage and a 16-page hardcover book, as well as digital formats on April 10.
A historic pillar of music history, Miles Davis is wholly revered for his immeasurable contributions as a trumpet player, bandleader, and composer. This consummate innovator and trendsetter not only broke evolutionary ground in jazz and fusion, but influenced generations of musicians in funk, hip-hop, rock, and everything in-between.
Directed by three-time Emmy Award winner Stanley Nelson, with full access to the Miles Davis Estate, Birth Of The Cool unearths never-before-seen live performances and outtakes from Davis’ studio sessions, as well as rare photos. This feature-length documentary film, which was nominated for “Best Music Film” at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards and the prestigious NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Documentary (Film)”, features brand new interviews with notable legends who shared professional and personal relationships with Miles, including Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter.
Birth Of The Cool pulls back the curtain of the man behind the music. The film takes an intimate look at what drove his intense, methodical approach and ravenous hunger to study all genres of music, from Baroque to classical Indian, as well as his demons, and how those elements fueled his genius and unique self-expression.
Premiered originally at Sundance Film Festival in January 2019, Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool has reverberated with rave reviews. Rolling Stone deemed it “essential”; the San Francisco Chronicle noted it as “an essential portrait of iconic jazz genius.”
In addition to the full documentary, there is a special version of the set which will include live footage of Miles on the DVD portion, performing at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, featuring highlights cherry-picked from 1973, 1984, and 1985.