Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

2019 115 min ★ 7.1 Documentary, History, Music

An immersive look at the eventful life and brilliant artistic career of visionary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991).

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Cast

Carl Lumbly

Miles Davis (voice)

Reginald Petty

Self - East St. Louis Resident

Quincy Troupe

Self - Writer

Farah Griffin

Self - Writer

Lee Annie Bonner

Self - Childhood Friend

Ashley Kahn

Self - Writer

Benjamin Cawthra

Self - Historian

Jimmy Heath

Self - Musician

Jimmy Cobb

Self - Musician

Dan Morgenstern

Self - Writer

Details

Director

Stanley Nelson

Tagline

"You don't know Miles"

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Production

Firelight Media, BBC Music, Eagle Rock Entertainment, American Masters Pictures

Reviews

S

SWITCH.

June 4, 2019

★ 8/10

Stanley Nelson combines the man and his music to give us an intimate portrait of how one mind shaped popular culture, armed only with a well-manipulated trumpet and some smooth musical notes. ‘Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool’ humanises a musical genius and ends up giving us an engrossing, hilarious, informative and heartbreaking look at the Miles Davis that music fans thought they knew. - Jake Wat...

E

Ersatz

May 28, 2026

★ 1/10

This is Weird. I thought if someone had a proven history of beating up women that people shouldn't get on their knees and worship them? But I suppose it's okay to glorify him because he was black. All is forgiven if that's the case? 🤔