PERFORMING ARTS

摘要

Beal (music, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz) seeks to give American composer Carla Bley the scholarly attention she deserves. Bley is a prolific composer, bandleader, performer, and activist akin to Charles Mingus. She is an immensely important figure in American music of the latter half of the 20th century, and thorough examination of her impact is lacking in most other major works. Written for a musically educated audience, Beal's book delves into theoretical analyses of Bley's work, especially her jazz opera Escalator Over the Hill. Beal also expertly contextual-izes Bley's career within the landscapes of emergent avant-garde, free jazz, and experimental music while also exploring her creative relationships with the legendary Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, and others.