JEFF PRESSLAFF: THE COMPLETE REBIRTH OF THE COOL
FRIDAY, MAY 5
8 PM
PARK THEATRE
(698 OSBORNE ST.)
Individual ticket: $12 advance/$15 door
One of the landmark albums in jazz history is Miles Davis’ 1957 release Birth of the Cool, a collection of songs recorded by the trumpeter and his nine-piece group in 1949 and 1950. Despite the record’s stature, Miles never followed up on it, and not many other musicians have either. No doubt it was mostly a money issue – even by 1949, a nonet was impractical, but the unusual sound palette and the amazing contrapuntal writing remain utterly compelling.
Jeff Presslaff has long wanted to transcribe and recreate that album, but that’s not what he will be doing for his Nu Sounds performance. Rather, Presslaff has assembled a nonet of that same instrumentation and a team of composers to write completely new music.
A nod to the spirit of the Miles’ mid-century band, but still taking into account the 60 years since, and reflecting the directions we’re going in now.
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