Ugly Beauty: Jazz in the 21st Century - Paperback

by Philip Freeman (Author)

What does jazz mean 20 years into the 21st century? Has streaming culture rendered music literally meaningless, thanks to the removal of all context beyond the playlist? Are there any traditions left to explore? Has the destruction of the apprenticeship model (young musicians learning from their elders) changed the music irrevocably? Are any sounds off limits? How far out can you go and still call it jazz? Or should the term be retired? These questions, and many more, are answered in Ugly Beauty, as Phil Freeman digs through his own experiences and conversations with present-day players. Jazz has never seemed as vital as it does right now, and has a genuine role to play in 21st-century culture, particularly in the US and the UK.

Author Biography

Philip Freeman is a music journalist specializing in jazz and metal. He is the former managing editor of the world music magazine Global Rhythm; the former editor-in-chief of the metal magazine Metal Edge; the founder of MSN Entertainment's Headbäng daily metal blog; and currently writes a monthly jazz column, Ugly Beauty, for Stereogum. He lives in Elizabeth, NJ.