Free Jazz

In the late 1950s, free jazz broke all the rules, liberating musicians both to create completely spontaneous and unplanned performances and to develop unique personal musical systems. This genre emerged alongside the radical changes of the 1960s, particularly the Civil Rights, Black Arts, and Black Power movements. Free Jazz is a new and accessible introduction to this exciting, controversial, and often misunderstood music, drawing on extensive research, close listening, and the author's experience as a performer. More than a catalog of artists and albums, the book explores the conceptual areas they opened: freedom, spirituality, energy, experimentalism, and self-determination. These are discussed in relation to both the political and artistic currents of the times and to specific musical techniques, explained in language clear to ordinary readers but also useful for musicians.

Author: Jeff Schwartz
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: 04/02/2023
Series: Suny Press Jazz Styles
Pages: 166
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.38d
ISBN: 9781438490304


Review Citation(s):
Choice 10/01/2023

About the Author
Jeff Schwartz is a writer, bassist, and librarian in Los Angeles, California.