Bebop & Nothingness: Jazz & Bebop at the End of the Century

By Francis Davis

Book Overview

Jazz has often been identified with bebop, the style that began as a daring departure from the conventions of swing. This collection of essays looks into this jazz mainstream: the greatness of its sources and the sterility of performances that adhere too closely to the styles of days past.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 002865031X
• ISBN13: 9780028650319
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Music Sales Corp
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.2" x 1.0" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A great jazz book

I always look forward to Davis's essays in 'The Atlantic.' He goes his own way and he's open to a lot of music that the neo-classical crowd shrugs off, such as John Zorn and Don Byron. His takes on musicians like Benny Carter and Art Pepper are unique and well thought out. More important, he's a great prose stylist. Sometimes I disagree with him, e.g., his opinions about hip-hop, but even then I find him pretty thought provoking. Check out his essay on Michael Jackson and Prince--Davis is a sharp observer of pop music, too. I wish they'd bring the rest of his books back in print.