Bebop & Nothingness: Jazz & Bebop at the End of the Century (Paperback)

~ Francis Davis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales Corp; 1st ed thus edition (July 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 002865031X
• ISBN-13: 978-0028650319
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,652,000 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great jazz book, February 11, 2001

By	Joe Taylor (Harrisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews

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.