I'm sorry but it falls flat.
Frank S. Cohen | Leominster, MA | 06/25/1999
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I was excited when this came out because I couldn't wait to hear what Mulligan and his associates would do to these tunes. They don't do much to them that is suprising or alluring. There is no stretching out and playing around with the original versions. This just doesn't sound like an inspired attempt to remake and adapt this music with the benefit of 40-plus years of distance to reflect upon and to use for innovation. It just sounds more technially produced than the original sessions. The original sessions are meatier and have more life to them. This was a suprisingly over-produced and under-innovative effort."
Gerry Mulligan Re-visits His Early Collaboration With Miles
Donnie The B | USA | 10/08/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm quite sure that it ate at Gerry Mulligan for years - the fact that the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions could have been done better. In any case, he was motivated enough to put together a small big band like the nonet gathered by Miles Davis in 1949, and play the music that he helped write and arrange 40+ years earlier.
Gerry is a much more accomplished musician here than he was in 1949. Wallace Roney does an enthusiastic and admirable job on trumpet, in place of Miles. I like Phil Woods' alto work as much or more than Lee Konitz, who played on the 1949 sessions, but was unavailable for "Re-Birth".
I would definitely recommend that true jazz fans should own both the original and this remake - but you can hear the music so much better on this newer recording. I'm glad that Mulligan followed through on this project.
"
Almost Totally Cool
L. Barnes | Mt. Vernon, New York United States | 05/23/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Over all this is a very good date. The musicians on this recording sound as enthusiastic as on the original recordings. Gerry Mulligan and Wallace Roney are fantastic and John Lewis, as usual, is tastefully sparse and elegant. The only thing in my opinion that takes a star or two away from this date is Lee Konitz not being present. Aside from Miles Davis, Gerry, and John, Lee was the the other major voice on the original recordings. Phil Woods is great, but not for this date. On "Moon Dreams", in particular, Lee's plaintive, vibrato-less tone is so missed. It's like having a four legged table with the fourth leg missing."