Re: This is your brain on jazz -- MRI studies of improvisation

[ditch wrestler <ditchwrestler@yahoo.com>]

 

As far as books go, I found Borgo's "Sync or Swarm" pretty dry; I pretty skipped the entire middle where he does some stochastic/oscilloscopic analysis on some tune.  Might be interesting to some but overly dry to me.

 

I'll echo the comment somebody make about "No Sound is Innocent" by the great Eddie Prevost.   His next book "Minute Particulars" is a keeper, too, but overshadowed by his attack on Keith Rowe.  As crusty as Eddie comes off in the books, he's a very articulate and calm guy.  He does have a pretty strict 'system', though, for improvisation and that came across in workshop of his that I co-ordinate/attended - it's all about sound, not music.

 

I've only read the first of Zorn's Aracana book and loved it.  I liked the anecdotal approach to "As Serious As Your Life".  "The Velvet Lounge: on late Chicago Jazz" by Majer is pretty good.

 

It's really difficult to talk about improvisation so I really admire those people that can get their ideas down in a semi-articulate fashion.  At the weekly open rehearsals I've led for the last two years, I find I'm reduced to analogies and metaphors.  It's not like Mozart where you can point to the triple-forte F# and have everybody know what it is and (hopefully) how to play it.

 

 

Ted Harms.

Krispen Hartung <khartung@cableone.net> wrote:

> Wow, I'm glad everyone is so interested. I've sent a whole lot of you this 
> PDF article now. Daryl, I'll send to you shortly.
>
> Here is a better list of the books with complete author names. I also added 
> some of the CDs I have been listening to lately, to educate myself on the
>  
> breadth of free improv music. Many of these artists are recommended in the 
> appendix of the Lewis article.
>
> Literature
> a.. Improvsation - Derek Bailey
> b.. Arcana II: Musicians on Musis - John Zorn
> c.. Arcana Musicians on Music - John Zorn
> d.. Northern Sun, Southern Moon: Europe's Reinvention of Jazz - Heffley
> e.. Jazz Among the Discourses - Krin Gabbard
> f.. Free Jazz - Jost
> g.. As Serious as Your Life: John Coltrane and Beyond - Valerie Wilmer
> h.. Sync or Swarm: Musical Improvisation in a Complex Age - David Borgo
> i.. Forces in Motion; The Music and Thoughts of Anthony Braxton - Lock
>
> My Discography (a few are missing, which I did not list)
> a.. Anthony Braxton - Six Compositions
> b.. Derek Bailey, Greg Goodman, Hendry Kaiser, Toshinori Kondo, Evan 
> Parker, ROVA - The Science Set
> c.. Eugene Chadbourne - The German Horse
> d.. Fred Anderson - Back at the Velvet Lounge
> e.. Jim Staley - Mumbo Jumbo
> f.. Peter
>  Brotzmann - Born Broke
> g.. Roscoe Mitchell - Quartet
> h.. Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell - Streaming
> i.. Bob Ostertag - Verbatim, Flesh and Blood
> j.. Voltage - Self Titled
> k.. Dempa - Nine Fragments
> l.. Evan Parker, Guy, Lyttton, Marylyn Crispell - Natives & Aliens
> m.. Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures
> n.. Joe Morris / Rob Brown Quartet - Illuminate
> o.. Derek Bailey - Carpal Tunnel
> p.. Derek Bailey - Aida
> q.. Derek Bailey & Cecil Taylor - Pleistozaen Mit Wasser
> r.. Derek Bailey & Greg Bendian - The Sign of 4
> s.. Derek Bailey, Pat Metheny, Greg Bendian, Paul Wertico - Science of 
> Eduacation
> t.. Ornette Coleman / Pat Metheny - Song X
> Kris
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>
>
>
> > Krispen, I'd also very much be interested in the Lewis document...and 
> > thanks for the various mentions of the books. I've been digging deep into 
> > anything Zorn these last few months so
>  will have to look up the Arcana 
> > tomes. I'm not much of a reader these days (feel too guilty not spending 
> > the time making the music...) but I know it can offer inspiration.
> >
> > The last really good music books I've read were John Cage's "Silence" and 
> > the biography "Roaring Silence".
> >
> >> I'd love to read George's piece, Krispen... do send me a pdf if the 
> >> offer still stands.. please.
> > Daryl Shawn
> > www.swanwelder.com
> > www.chinapaintingmusic.com
> > 



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