This is the second book in a trilogy by Scott Yanow which includes the initial SWING and will follow on with AFRO-CUBAN. Once again Scott has presented a vast amount of information on his subject which spearpoints the period in popular music history when, during the dying embers of "Swing", Lester Young, Charlie Parber and Dizzy Gillespie among others, experimented and eventually formulated the style of Jazz that was to become known as "Bebop."
As with his previous volume Scott has looked at the various elements that covered the revolutionary change in improvised music, showing many recommendations of prime recordings for readers and collectors to pursue, in addition to the thumbnail histories of the more important Bebop players. The author has dealt with this enormous task showing an extraordinary degree of accuracy, which will provide endless opportunities for study by the followers of Bebop.
by Al Merritt
In an era of intense competition for dwindling
performance opportunities, and the latter-day rise of Jazz "competitions"
that pit aspiring musicians and groups against each other, Van Cliburn-style,
the Los Angeles pianist, composer, and bandleader Horace Tapscott, 1934-1999,
Jazz Now cover subject , September 1991, emerges as an eternal symbol
of all that is noble in the music in transition community. This highly advanced
theme emerges from a detailed life history that is nothing short of stunning.
The concept of music being "contributive, rather than competitive"[1]
is one that educators should not reasonably dismiss, especially those overseeing
music programs at the university level. Horace's wisdom could easily serve
as a mission statement for an entire academic department:
"I've never thought about competing to the point of destruction, or
cats not trusting each other, because he might have practiced a little more
or had an opportunity for this. All of a sudden the music wouldn't be music
anymore, as far as I'm concerned".[2]
In describing the genesis of his Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Horace speaks
eloquently to the musician who has been previously shunned. ".Every
person I brought in was an outsider, so to speak.so I sought out those kinds
of people, those who weren't a part of studio cliques.I figured that they
had much more to offer and that was something very precious".[3]
Songs of the Unsung is an important statement in the philosophy of improvised
music. Highly recommended.
by James D. Armstrong, Jr.
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[1] Page 201.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Pages 83-84.
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