A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music | George E. Lewis

A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music | George E. Lewis | Its a good read !

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A Power Stronger T...

	A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music George E. Lewis University Of Chicago Press, 2008 - 690 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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Founded in 1965 and still active today, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) is an American institution with an international reputation. From its working-class roots on the South Side of Chicago, the AACM went on to forge an extensive legacy of cultural and social experimentation, crossing both musical and racial boundaries. The success of individual members and ensembles such as Muhal Richard Abrams, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Anthony Braxton has been matched by the enormous influence of the collective itself in inspiring a generation of musical experimentalists. George E. Lewis, who joined the collective as a teenager in 1971, establishes the full importance and vitality of the AACM with this communal history, written with a symphonic sweep that draws on a cross-generational chorus of voices and a rich collection of rare images.

Faced with shrinking economic opportunities in Chicago and a segregated music industry, the original members of the AACM found inspiration in the civil rights movement?s call for change through self-determination and collective action. These musicians pooled their individual strengths in a new organization powerfully committed to a forward-thinking approach to musical creation and performance. Evolving a range of experimental methods, from invented instruments and unusual musical scores to improvisation and the early use of computers, the AACM challenged the borders separating classical music and jazz.

Moving from Chicago to New York to Paris, and from founding member Steve McCall?s kitchen table to Carnegie Hall, A Power Stronger Than Itself uncovers a vibrant, multicultural universe and brings to light a major piece of the history of avant-garde music and art. (20070320)

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The avant-garde jazz compendium

George E. Lewis has written a superlative history of avant-garde jazz and The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. I am truly amazed with his research, depth of understanding and what he is teaching me. I get the value of being one of his students just by reading and learning from his authoritative text. George E. Lewis is the subject matter authority on jazz.

I have long wanted to study jazz with a historical timeline view. George E. Lewis helps me achieves this goal admirably.

George thank you for the book my jazz soul has been yearning to know for decades.

Live Your Light,
Ed Jennings

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Its a good read !

George E Lewis has written a very readable account of this organisation and its history. Its a long story 40+ years, many contributions, Includes biographies of key figures, and social history. a few more musical examples or analysis of actual works could have made it even better. Overall recommended to anyone into AACM or any fan of progressive jazz.

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