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One of least clearly defined jazz styles, cool jazz is really a combination of a number of different approaches to jazz that all emanate from bebop. The cool style was not so much a response to bebop, but a logical extension of it started by musicians who were involved in the bop movement. Bop performance was centered on improvisation and so was cool, but one of the most striking differences was the manner in which solos were framed within an arrangement that often featured changes in texture.
Cool Jazz - Episode 1
The musicians themselves did not differentiate as much as the critics and record company executives, who in their haste to sell records were constantly coming up with new names for styles within the jazz genre. There are no “hard and fast” rules about cool jazz---mostly a combination of approaches that differed from bebop. The alto saxophonist Lee Konitz was characterized as a cool style player, (though he lived in New York) but his style of playing was smoother than that of Charlie Parker---probably a result of studying with Lennie Tristano.
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Boplicity | Miles Davis | Birth of the Cool | 1949 |
| Lester Leaps In | Count Basie with Lester Young | | 1939 |
| Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie | Count Basie with Lester Young | | 1939 |
| Budo | Miles Davis | Birth of the Cool | 1949 |
| Israel | Miles Davis | Birth of the Cool | 1949 |
| Donna Lee | Charlie Parker | | 1947 |
| Donna Lee | Lee Konitz | | 1947 |
Cool Jazz - Episode 2
The emergence of the west coast cool style began to emerge at roughly the same time as the Royal Roost (Birth of the Cool) sessions in New York between 1948 and 1949. Pianist and composer Dave Brubeck not only had a strong background in jazz, but was also well versed in European music (so was pianist John Lewis). He started his Octet in late 1946 or early 1947 and made one recording with the group in 1950. Brubeck looked to utilize European compositional devices with the Octet which was rather novel for the time. Claude Thornhill and Boyd Raeburn orchestras also played an integral role in this “Europeanization” of jazz in the mid to late 1940’s. Some lesser known groups are also featured on this podcast including the Dave Pell Octet and the Serge Chaloff Octet.
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Budo | Miles Davis | Birth of the Cool | 1949 |
| Fugue on a Bop Theme | Dave Brubeck | Dave Brubeck Octet | 1950 |
| The Way You Look Tonight | Dave Brubeck | Dave Brubeck Octet | 1950 |
| Anthropology | Claude Thornhill | | 1947 |
| Pat | Serge Chaloff Septet | | 1949 |
| Chickasaw | Serge Chaloff Octet | | 1949 |
| Mountain Greenery | Dave Pell Octet | | 1954 |
Cool Jazz - Episode 3
One of the most famous of the west coast cool jazz groups was the Gerry Mulligan Quartet formed in 1952. It featured the quintessential cool jazz trumpet player/vocalist, Chet Baker. Baker became the poster boy for cool jazz in the early 1950’s. His playing was modeled after Miles Davis and his seemingly laid back melodic approach connected with audiences. The group did not have a pianist, which made for an interesting change in texture. Also featured on this podcast is the Dave Brubeck Quartet from the 1950’s featuring the light airy sound of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Brubeck’s series of albums, Jazz Goes to College, were immensely popular and helped bring him to international acclaim. Brubeck’s 1959 album Time Out is probably his most famous recording and features two instantly recognizable compositions, “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo a la Turk.”
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Line for Lyons | Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan | Gerry Mulligan Quartet | 1952 |
| Freeway | Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan | Gerry Mulligan Quartet | 1952 |
| Love Nest | Chet Baker | Chet Baker and the Russ Freeman Quartet | 1956 |
| Motel | Chet Baker | Steve Allen Tonight Show | 1954 |
| Perdido | Dave Brubeck | Jazz at Oberlin | 1953 |
| Take Five | Dave Brubeck | Time Out | 1959 |
| Blue Rondo a la Turk | Dave Brubeck | Time Out | 1959 |
Cool Jazz - Episode 4
Alto saxophonist Art Pepper started his playing career in the early 1940’s playing in big bands led by Stan Kenton and Benny Carter and spent most of his career on the west coast. A bebopper at heart, Pepper’s playing has been referred to as west coast cool due to geography more than anything. A fiery player, he influenced many alto players in the 1950’s. The Modern Jazz Quartet was one of the most unique groups in jazz. Difficult to characterize, the leader, John Lewis, drew inspiration from many sources. He often looked to European music as a model when considering form and texture. The members themselves came from the bop movement, but Lewis also had a hand in the Birth of the Cool sessions. The last musician to be included in this podcast is Satan Getz. (see the podcast series on Getz) He came up in the late swing era, played bebop, and also can be characterized as a quintessential cool player. He contradicts everything about categorizing an artist, but his beautiful sound and relaxed way of playing are instantly recognizable.
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Pepper Returns | Art Pepper | The Return of Art Pepper | 1956 |
| Django | Modern Jazz Quartet | Django | 1956 |
| Woody n' You | Modern Jazz Quartet | Fontessa | 1956 |
| La Ronde Suite | Modern Jazz Quartet | Django | 1956 |
| Stella by Starlight | Stan Getz | Stan Getz Plays | 1952 |
| Lover Come Back | Stan Getz | Stan Getz Plays | 1952 |