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Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser's Art
"Meticulously researched, detailed and documented, this long awaited overview justly establishes Konitz as one of the most consistently brilliant, adventurous and original improvisers in the jazz tradition—a genius as rare as Bird himself.” —John Zorn
"Hamilton’s work may well mark the inception of a format new to writing on Western music, one which avoids both the self-aggrandizing of autobiography and the stylized subjectification of biography.” —The Wire
"An extraordinary approach to a biography, with the man himself speaking for extended sessions. The main vibration I felt from Lee’s words was total honesty, almost to a fault. Konitz shows himself to be an acute observer of the scene, full of wisdom and deep musical insights, relevant to any historical period regardless of style. The asides by noted musicians are beautifully woven throughout the pages. I couldn’t put the book down—it is the definition of a living history.” —David Liebman
The preeminent altoist associated with the "cool” school of jazz, Lee Konitz was one of the few saxophonists of his generation to forge a unique sound independent of the influence of Charlie Parker. In the late 1940s, Konitz began his career with the Claude Thornhill band, during which time he came into contact with Miles Davis, with whom he would later work on the legendary Birth of the Cool sessions. Konitz is perhaps best known through his association with Lennie Tristano, under whose influence much of his sound evolved, and for his work with Stan Kenton and Warne Marsh. His recordings have ranged from cool bop to experimental improvisation and have appeared on such labels as Prestige, Atlantic, Verve, and Polydor.
Crafted out of numerous interviews between the author and his subject, the book offers a unique look at the story of Lee Konitz’s life and music, detailing Konitz’s own insights into his musical education and his experiences with such figures as Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, Warne Marsh, Lennie Tristano, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell, and Bill Evans.
Andy Hamilton is a jazz pianist and contributor to major jazz and contemporary music magazines. He teaches philosophy, and the history and aesthetics of jazz, at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He is also the author of the book Aesthetics and Music (Continuum 2007).
"Hamilton’s work may well mark the inception of a format new to writing on Western music, one which avoids both the self-aggrandizing of autobiography and the stylized subjectification of biography.” —The Wire
"An extraordinary approach to a biography, with the man himself speaking for extended sessions. The main vibration I felt from Lee’s words was total honesty, almost to a fault. Konitz shows himself to be an acute observer of the scene, full of wisdom and deep musical insights, relevant to any historical period regardless of style. The asides by noted musicians are beautifully woven throughout the pages. I couldn’t put the book down—it is the definition of a living history.” —David Liebman
The preeminent altoist associated with the "cool” school of jazz, Lee Konitz was one of the few saxophonists of his generation to forge a unique sound independent of the influence of Charlie Parker. In the late 1940s, Konitz began his career with the Claude Thornhill band, during which time he came into contact with Miles Davis, with whom he would later work on the legendary Birth of the Cool sessions. Konitz is perhaps best known through his association with Lennie Tristano, under whose influence much of his sound evolved, and for his work with Stan Kenton and Warne Marsh. His recordings have ranged from cool bop to experimental improvisation and have appeared on such labels as Prestige, Atlantic, Verve, and Polydor.
Crafted out of numerous interviews between the author and his subject, the book offers a unique look at the story of Lee Konitz’s life and music, detailing Konitz’s own insights into his musical education and his experiences with such figures as Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, Warne Marsh, Lennie Tristano, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell, and Bill Evans.
Andy Hamilton is a jazz pianist and contributor to major jazz and contemporary music magazines. He teaches philosophy, and the history and aesthetics of jazz, at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He is also the author of the book Aesthetics and Music (Continuum 2007).
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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About the author
Andy Hamilton
9 books6 followersAndy Hamilton teaches Philosophy, and also History and Aesthetics of Jazz, at Durham University, UK. He was also until recently Adjunct Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Western Australia, Perth, and has taught music aesthetics at Hong Kong University.
He specialises in aesthetics, political philosophy, philosophy of mind, J.S. Mill and Wittgenstein, and has published Aesthetics and Music (Continuum, 2007), Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser's Art (University of Michigan Press, 2007), The Self In Question: Memory, the Body and Self-Consciousness (Palgrave, 2013), and Scruton's Aesthetics, edited with Nick Zangwill (Palgrave, 2011).
The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Wittgenstein and "On Certainty" will appear in 2014, and The Aesthetics of Rhythm, edited with Max Paddison, is forthcoming with Oxford University Press. At the moment he is working on monographs on The Autonomy of Art, and on books of conversations with cellist Frances-Marie Uitti, and improvising pianist Steve Beresford.
He is a long-standing contributor to "The Wire", "Jazz Review" and "International Piano" magazines, interviewing and writing features on jazz and classical musicians and composers such as Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Elliott Carter, Kaija Saariaho and Christian Wolff.
He specialises in aesthetics, political philosophy, philosophy of mind, J.S. Mill and Wittgenstein, and has published Aesthetics and Music (Continuum, 2007), Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser's Art (University of Michigan Press, 2007), The Self In Question: Memory, the Body and Self-Consciousness (Palgrave, 2013), and Scruton's Aesthetics, edited with Nick Zangwill (Palgrave, 2011).
The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Wittgenstein and "On Certainty" will appear in 2014, and The Aesthetics of Rhythm, edited with Max Paddison, is forthcoming with Oxford University Press. At the moment he is working on monographs on The Autonomy of Art, and on books of conversations with cellist Frances-Marie Uitti, and improvising pianist Steve Beresford.
He is a long-standing contributor to "The Wire", "Jazz Review" and "International Piano" magazines, interviewing and writing features on jazz and classical musicians and composers such as Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Elliott Carter, Kaija Saariaho and Christian Wolff.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 21, 2020
The recent death of Lee Konitz, one of the jazz musicians I most admired, prompted me to write a review of Hamilton's book. I read this when it came out and frequently pull it off the shelf to re-read sections.
Konitz was one of the most uncompromising of improvisers - he once said that if he heard himself playing something he had already played, he would take the horn out of his mouth. He comes across as totally honest in these interviews, sometimes brutally so. (His remarks about Anthony Braxton were tough for me to read.) But while he is rough on some of his fellow musicians, he doesn't spare himself or make any attempt to hide his flaws, musical or personal. This fan, at least, came away admiring Konitz even more after reading the book.
Konitz was one of the most uncompromising of improvisers - he once said that if he heard himself playing something he had already played, he would take the horn out of his mouth. He comes across as totally honest in these interviews, sometimes brutally so. (His remarks about Anthony Braxton were tough for me to read.) But while he is rough on some of his fellow musicians, he doesn't spare himself or make any attempt to hide his flaws, musical or personal. This fan, at least, came away admiring Konitz even more after reading the book.
January 31, 2008
This is an indespensible book concerning what improvisor's do. I highly recommend this to people who have watched an improvising musician and always wondered "how do they do that?" Konitz not only details his own approach, but others as well. Hamilton chooses a very eloquent structure for the book that makes it flow much more smoothly. For students of improvisation, this is a book to return to again and again.
June 18, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed the book. The book is essentially interviews with Konitz and
with his many colleagues through the years. He can be very upfront in his comments “Anthony Braxton”. My take away is he is a true improviser, never into showboating as he says and even in jazz music there are very few pure improvisers who stay away from prepared phrases and licks. A melancholy read for sure as Lee recently passed as a victim of Covid 19. Been listening to my Konitz, Warne Marsh and Lennie Tristano with greater appreciation.
with his many colleagues through the years. He can be very upfront in his comments “Anthony Braxton”. My take away is he is a true improviser, never into showboating as he says and even in jazz music there are very few pure improvisers who stay away from prepared phrases and licks. A melancholy read for sure as Lee recently passed as a victim of Covid 19. Been listening to my Konitz, Warne Marsh and Lennie Tristano with greater appreciation.
June 5, 2021
Andy Hamilton's book is an extraordinary tale about the life and insights of the great jazz artist Lee Konitz. The Q&A form proves very effective for allowing the viewpoints of the great artist to translate to the reader with little or no distortion. The chronological structure of the conversation and the interviews with fellow musicians creates a well-functioning flow that makes the book a joy to read.
Lee talkes about his approach to music, a direction that was reinforced under the influence of jazz pianist and inventor Lennie Tristano who became a dominant influence on the many people who studied with him.
Tristano is often mentioned by Lee throughout, and the influence is evidently still strong in the 80 years old Lee. He is a unique character in the Tristano universe in that he left the circle but took many of the core elements with him and expanded the arena in which the teachings could be applied. The Tristano world represents an idealistic approach that resulted in innovative and extraordinary music, and on the other hand there was certain cult-like elements in the way Tristano exerted his influence. Lee took the purist element with him, without restricting himself to a purist setting of how the band was expected to function.
The game is true improvisation, which Lee believes is possible, and has nothing to do with elegantly phrasing together rehearsed licks and patterns, which is a common approach. Instead the focus is on the spontaneous creation of melody and conversation between the musicians, whether the structure of the music is a Broadway standard, or completely free.
Lee is extraordinarily honest and he exposes his deepest thoughts on the subjects being discussed. Being a highly admired musician, he still questions his approach, like when after witnessing an audience immediate positive response to a young jazz musicians who used all the "tricks" that Lee works so hard to avoid.
The late Lee Konitz music is very fascinating in that standards are almost always used as the foundation for improvisation, but in such a loose way that it is not recognized by the listener unless they are dedicated student of the music. In this way a new "Leean" piece of music is created on the fly.
Lees has cultivated the art of improvisation to an extraordinary degree which is fortunately well documented in his large production of albums. A remarkable book about a remarkable musician and human being, who possessed a subtle, intelligent feeling to the music.
"That's my way of preparation - to not be prepared. And that takes a lot of preparation!"
-Lee Konitz
Lee talkes about his approach to music, a direction that was reinforced under the influence of jazz pianist and inventor Lennie Tristano who became a dominant influence on the many people who studied with him.
Tristano is often mentioned by Lee throughout, and the influence is evidently still strong in the 80 years old Lee. He is a unique character in the Tristano universe in that he left the circle but took many of the core elements with him and expanded the arena in which the teachings could be applied. The Tristano world represents an idealistic approach that resulted in innovative and extraordinary music, and on the other hand there was certain cult-like elements in the way Tristano exerted his influence. Lee took the purist element with him, without restricting himself to a purist setting of how the band was expected to function.
The game is true improvisation, which Lee believes is possible, and has nothing to do with elegantly phrasing together rehearsed licks and patterns, which is a common approach. Instead the focus is on the spontaneous creation of melody and conversation between the musicians, whether the structure of the music is a Broadway standard, or completely free.
Lee is extraordinarily honest and he exposes his deepest thoughts on the subjects being discussed. Being a highly admired musician, he still questions his approach, like when after witnessing an audience immediate positive response to a young jazz musicians who used all the "tricks" that Lee works so hard to avoid.
The late Lee Konitz music is very fascinating in that standards are almost always used as the foundation for improvisation, but in such a loose way that it is not recognized by the listener unless they are dedicated student of the music. In this way a new "Leean" piece of music is created on the fly.
Lees has cultivated the art of improvisation to an extraordinary degree which is fortunately well documented in his large production of albums. A remarkable book about a remarkable musician and human being, who possessed a subtle, intelligent feeling to the music.
"That's my way of preparation - to not be prepared. And that takes a lot of preparation!"
-Lee Konitz
November 26, 2008
Most of the book is made up of interviews with Konitz from the last several years, which I can't say enough good things about. He's very honest and humble, while speaking thoughtfully and eloquently about some very difficult subject matter (improvisation). The rest of the book is interviews with musicians associated with him in some way. These are also very informative. Great anecdotes, too.
April 9, 2015
Fantastic read, but at some point I got annoyed with the frequency of commentary from other musicians, it started to feel like you would only get small amounts of Lee before an interruption, like the book was almost half not-Lee. But still totally worth it
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews