An academic exegesis of the popular jazz form and its musicians.
Bebop was a revolutionary new style when it burst on the jazz scene
in the late 1940s. Created by a small coterie of primarily New York
- based jazzmen, including legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker,
pianist Thelonious Monk, and trumpeter/bebop spokesperson Dizzy
Gillespie, it was a melodically and harmonically complicated
chamber music with unusual rhythms that demanded serious listening
(the earlier big-band jazz had been more approachable, with its
simple, repetitive melodies, predictable chord changes, and
toe-tapping rhythms). Beginning his work with a historical
overview, Owens traces the roots of bebop, focusing on Parker's
saxophone stylings. He then moves rather mechanistically through a
study of different instrumentalists (alto and tenor sax players,
trumpeters, pianists, bassists, drummers, etc.), ensembles, and
today's "young masters." Owens primarily relies on close
interpretation of the "scores" of the major bebop works; like a
patient graduate student, he guides us through the key motives and
harmonics employed by Gillespie, Monk, et al. Of course, such a
discussion is absurdly reductionist: Owens asserts that Parker's
memorable style is primarily based on a descending "scalar
organization" that he finds in the saxophonist's solos, ignoring
Parker's unique sound, his raw emotionality, and his stunning
technique. The author himself admits that many elements of the
bebop style "defy meaningful representation in musical notation,"
yet this is essentially his modus operandi throughout the book.
Another problem is his decision to group together instrumentalists
who are often stylistically disparate, which results in a
disjointed narrative. The inclusion of a glossary with definitions
of basic musicological terms will not make this more palatable for
a general audience. A triumph of the academy over a musical style
that, to this point, had avoided institutionalization. "Bebop
lives," Owens asserts - but not in this text. (Kirkus Reviews)
Created in the jazz clubs of New York City, and initially treated by most musicians and audiences as radical, chaotic, and bewildering: bebop has become, Thomas Owen writes, `the lingua franca of jazz, serving as the principal musical language of thousands of jazz musicians.'
In Bebop, Owens conducts us on an insightful, loving tour through the music, players, and recordings that changed American culture. Combining vivid portraits of bebop's gigantic personalities - among them Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis - with deft musical analysis, he offers an instrument-by-instrument look at the key players and their innovations.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
