Who’s Really ‘Cool’

Concerning Pete Welding’s Oct. 12 letter to Calendar (“Miles Davis on Record”) about the “Birth of the Cool” LP: The title came, not from Pete Rugolo, but from Will McFarland, a free-lance writer active on the Hollywood jazz scene.

He was assigned the liner notes for the album by Bob Wilheim, then head of editorial at Capitol and the man I worked for. Panic time, as usual. The album was already scheduled for release; the cover art had been prepared but was being held past deadline because we still didn’t have a title. So Wilheim told McFarland that if he came up with a good one, Capitol would throw in a few extra bucks. Will came in the next day with notes titled “Birth of the Cool.” Everyone liked the name and Will walked out with $10 extra.

JACK SMOTHERS

San Diego