Bruce Harris’ Birth of the Cool – Celebrating Miles Davis

July 17, 2026 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM (EDT)

Description

Trumpeter Bruce Harris returns to the UNITED to lead an all-star ensemble in a special concert celebrating the music and legacy of Miles Davis in honor of the legendary artist’s 100th birthday. Building on Harris’s ongoing collaboration with the UNITED, this program presents a full performance of Davis’s groundbreaking Birth of the Cool—one of the most influential recordings in jazz history.

Originally recorded between 1949 and 1950, Birth of the Cool introduced a revolutionary sound that blended the sophistication of chamber music with the spontaneity of jazz improvisation. For this concert, Harris and his ensemble recreate the distinctive instrumentation of the original nonet—trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, piano, bass, and drums—to bring this historic music vividly to life.

The program features the complete album, including iconic compositions such as “Move,” “Jeru,” “Moon Dreams,” “Boplicity,” and “Israel.” More than a tribute, the performance offers audiences the rare opportunity to experience this music as a full artistic statement, highlighting the visionary arrangements by Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, and others that helped reshape the sound of modern jazz.

This concert celebrates Miles Davis’s enduring influence while showcasing the depth and beauty of one of jazz’s most important recordings.