Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Miles Davis didn't provide sheet music for his musicians during the recording of his iconic album "Kind of Blue." He said that "I didn't write out the music for 'Kind of Blue.' But brought in sketches 'cause I wanted a lot of spontaneity in the playing." American Masters Presents Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool February 25 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS.

Miles Davis recorded tune after tune in order to fulfill his contractual obligation to Prestige Records. In the process, he recorded "gems" of jazz spontaneity.

Miles Davis' son Erin talks about the Prince album that his father played over and over while on a road trip in his Rolls-Royce in California.

The Miles Davis Estate offered unprecedented access to its archive in order to help make this film the "definitive" documentary on Miles Davis, according to Davis's relatives.

Stanley Nelson, director of Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, talks about why he chose to make a film about the iconic jazz musician. He also discusses how this film is more than just a film about a jazz musician and really a film about the United States in the second half of the 20th century as told through music.