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98.
Musical Improvisation: Its Nature and Practice in Music.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1980. First edition. 8vo. Red paper covered boards with lettering to spine in silver. 154pp.
“Here is the first book ever to examine seriously - and from the viewpoint of well-known, practicing musicians - the art of improvisation and its myriad uses” (jacket blurb).
The book is divided into sections ranging from the traditional uses of improvisation (in Indian music, Flamenco and Baroque music) through to its uses in church organ playing, in jazz and in rock, to developments in contemporary composition. It was based in part on a series of radio interviews conducted by Bailey in 1974, and John Zorn, Jerry Garcia, Steve Howe, Steve Lacy, Lionel Salter, Earle Brown, Paco Peña, Max Roach, Evan Parker and Ronnie Scott are among those who make contributions.
Twelve years after publication the book led to a four-part TV documentary broadcast on Channel 4 titled “On the Edge: Improvisation in Music”, which Bailey both scripted and presented. In his obituary (Bailey died on December 25, 2005), the jazz writer John Fordham described him as “a guru without self-importance, a teacher without a rulebook, a guitar-hero without hot licks and a one-man counterculture without ever believing he knew all the answers - or maybe any at all.”
A key work on improvisation from one of its foremost exponents.
Pages slightly age-toned, o/w Fine in dw.
Extremely scarce in the hardcover edition (most copies went to libraries).
Price:
£175.00
