http://nightlights.blogs.wfiu.org/the-birth-of-the-cool-songbook/ Jazz program hosted by David Brent Johnson, focusing on classic jazz from 1945-1990, covering artists such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Nina Simone. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:01:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://nightlights.blogs.wfiu.org/the-birth-of-the-cool-songbook/#comment-18310 Bill Forbes Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:33:57 +0000 http://nightlights.blogs.wfiu.org/2008/06/09/the-birth-of-the-cool-songbook/#comment-18310 A great idea for a show, David! Even the names of the Birth of the Cool tunes have something enigmatic, evocative and poetic about them: "Move", "Jeru", "Moon Dreams", "Venus de Milo", "Budo", "Deception", "Godchild", "Boplicity", "Rocker", "Israel", "Rouge" .... The fact that they were recorded by a very unusual group - a nonet - means that covers are inevitably in new formats which reveal further aspects of the tunes. "Godchild", for example, has been reprised by the Woody Herman Orchestra and by a Gerry Mulligan piano trio. And some of these tunes have great staying power! Bill Charlap recently recorded "Rocker" and "Godchild", some 57 years after the nonet sides! Looking in the opposite direction - to recordings which pre-date the Birth of the Cool sessions - it'll be interesting to hear the 1942 precedent for "Moon Dreams". A new one on me! A great idea for a show, David! Even the names of the Birth of the Cool tunes have something enigmatic, evocative and poetic about them: “Move”, “Jeru”, “Moon Dreams”, “Venus de Milo”, “Budo”, “Deception”, “Godchild”, “Boplicity”, “Rocker”, “Israel”, “Rouge” …. The fact that they were recorded by a very unusual group - a nonet - means that covers are inevitably in new formats which reveal further aspects of the tunes. “Godchild”, for example, has been reprised by the Woody Herman Orchestra and by a Gerry Mulligan piano trio. And some of these tunes have great staying power! Bill Charlap recently recorded “Rocker” and “Godchild”, some 57 years after the nonet sides! Looking in the opposite direction - to recordings which pre-date the Birth of the Cool sessions - it’ll be interesting to hear the 1942 precedent for “Moon Dreams”. A new one on me!

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