Jazz is more popular that it has been for quite a while, but, according to author Francis Davis, that popularity has come at a cost. Jazz has become identified with its past, especially bebop, the style that began as a daring departure from convention but has since become the required language for all musicians. Davis prefers artists who push at the avant-garde edges, who refuse to accept the status quo. This collection of his influential writings again focuses on these hard-to-categorize heroes, ranging from mainstream stars like Miles Davis to lesser-known heroes.

FRANCIS DAVIS is the author of numerous books on jazz and music. He is currently completing a biography of John Coltrane.

CONTENTS:
Introduction
Mainstreams
Better With Age (Benny Carter)
Old Man with a Horn (Dizzy Gillespie)
Pres and His Discontents (Lester Young)
Bebop and Nothingness (Charlie Parker / Art Pepper)
Cause of Death: Jazz (Sweet Love, Bitter)
Miles Agonistes (Miles Davis)
Philly Guy (Grover Washington Jr.)
Silver Minus One (Mel Lewis)
Apple Pie (Art Blakey)
Jazz Rep, Continued (Charles Mingus's Epitaph / The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra)
Fringes
Cat Clubbing (Loren Schoenberg / The New York Swing Dance Society)
Old and New Gospel (Booker T / George Adams / Dr. Vernard Wilson)
Groovy (Ruby Braff)
Tristanoitis (Lennie Tristano & Others)
Anthony Braxton, All American Color, Rhythm, Design (Muhal Richard Abrano)
Well Tempered (Dave Burrell)
"This Is Not Jazz" (Sonny Sharrock)
White Anglo-Saxon Pythagorean (Roswell Rudd)
The Come-From-Behind Guy (Allen Lowe)
Out There (Charles Gayle)
Mischief
Sun Ra, Himself
Dog Wild (Lester Bowie)
Bagels and Dreadlocks (Don Bryon)
"Zorn" for "Anger" (John Zorn)
For Aesthetes of All Ages (Bobby Previte / The Moscow Circus)
Les Paul Standard, Rebuilt
Words and Music
Real Stuff in Life to Cling to (Tony Bennett)
Rosie (Rosemary Clooney)
The Song's the Thing (Barbara Lea)
A Bit Much (Barbra Streisand)
Full of Foolish Song (Guys and Dolls, etc.)
Infection (Steven Doundheim's Passion)
Talking Kerouac (Jack Kerouac)
Toons (Michael Jackson / Prince)
Black Skin, Black Masks (Rap)
Index

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