Emmy-winning documentary series American Masters will be presenting the broadcast premiere of Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, a documentary on the life of jazz legend Miles Davis. The film was directed by acclaimed documentarian Stanley Nelson and will be premiering on February 25 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) as well as the PBS Video app in honor of Black History Month.
The clip from the film via the player below looks at how Davis recorded tune after tune in order to fulfill his contractual obligations to Prestige Records and, in the process, recorded gems of jazz spontaneity.
“The story of Miles Davis — who he was as a man and artist — has often been told as the tale of a drug-addled genius,” said Nelson via a statement. “You rarely see a portrait of a man that worked hard at honing his craft, a man who deeply studied all forms of music, from Baroque to classical Indian. An elegant man who could render ballads with such tenderness yet hold rage in his heart from the racism he faced throughout his life. He could be romantic and pursue women relentlessly, yet treat them with cruelty upon winning them over. He could be extremely generous, yet rescind that generosity on a whim.”
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool premiered in January 2019 at the Sundance Film Festival. Since then, it has had a successful theatrical run and been nominated for a GRAMMY in the “Best Music Film” category. In addition, this broadcast premiere will come just a few days after the February 21 release of the soundtrack album Music From and Inspired by “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool,” a Film by Stanley Nelson via Columbia/Legacy.
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