Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (DVD)

A documentary on trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis, made with full access to the Miles Davis Estate, drawing on never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes, and rare photos. Narrated in part by Carl Lumbly reading from Davis's autobiography, the film traces his six-decade career from his upper-middle-class Illinois upbringing and Juilliard studies through his signature quintet recordings, his collaborations with Gil Evans, and his stylistic shifts in the 1970s and 80s, alongside his personal life and experience of racism. Features interviews with Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter. Directed by Stanley Nelson Jr. for PBS's American Masters; premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and received a Grammy nomination for Best Music Film.

DETAILS

• Condition: New
• Director: Stanley Nelson Jr.
• Producers: Stanley Nelson Jr., Nicole London
• Narrator: Carl Lumbly (reading Davis's own words)
• Release year: 2019
• Runtime: 114-115 minutes (sources vary slightly)
• Format: DVD
• Language: English