"American Masters" Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (TV Episode 2019)

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool: Directed by Stanley Nelson. With Carl Lumbly, Miles Davis, Reginald Petty, Quincy Troupe. Musicians, scholars, family and friends reflect on the life of jazzer Miles Davis to reveal the man behind the legend. Full access to Davis’ estate provides rare footage and photos, outtakes from recording sessions and new interviews.

“Great title but not a great documentary. With Miles words spoken by actor Carl Lumbly and music performed by Miles Davis.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis should be an ideal primer for me, a person who knew of Miles Davis but not enough about his life and music.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen the first talking head appeared I knew what the problem was. There were just to many talking heads, often talking across his music. It was too conventional.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMaybe this could had been framed differently, radical like his music. I can understand hearing from his family, friends and collaborators. Not sure we needed to hear from writers and historians.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCarlos Santana stated something important about Miles Davis. He could hold a slow note, play something slow or romantic that came from within him.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt is clear that despite his talent he was not an easy man to get along with. An alcoholic, a drug addict, a wife beater. He suffered from ill health and he looked bad in his later years.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere was a nice humorous touch with a news clip of Walter Cronkite calling jazz u0026#39;musical noiseu0026#39; that is corrupting society.”