The music called bop which arose in the mid-40's represented a radical enlargement of the tonal and rhythmic language of traditional jazz. Yet it became clear after a few years that bop had its own limitations, but it had developed certain specific conventions within which only the greatest improvisors could flourish. When these improvisors were not forthcoming, some, like Horace Silver, worked out partial solutions, but these were largely formal in nature.

A couple of years ago an outraged cry of questioning arose from certain corners, so that we know have a number of people bent on tearing down the structure which was bop. Some of these innovators are trying a wholesale application of the methods and/or attitudes of classical music; others have undertaken a revision of jazz by using the unique materials of jazz. It is becoming increasingly clear that only the latter will be successful. But what seems to be less clear is that in the meantime a number of extremely talented improvisers have come to maturity and that these men have salvaged the great improvising tradition of jazz and have brought new dignity to it.

Sonny Rollins was the first improviser to secure a position of respect at all comparable with that of Charlie Parker, the Father of us all. He added certain harmonic refinements and rhythmic subtleties to a basically Parker conception of improvising, but his real message is greater awareness of the possibilites of the thematic development of a solo. Of course, this was all largely unconscious; but Sonny, like all the great improvisers, has an extremely disciplined unconscious. His best records are Saxophone Colossus (Prestige 1079) and A Night at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note 1581).

John Coltrane has been largely concerned with fulfilling the harmonic implications of Parker's music, but for all his seriousness he is capable of greater power and lyricism than all but a couple of his contemporaries. Giant Steps Atlantic 1311) and My Favorite Things (Atlantic 1361) are two landmarks of his as-yet incompleted evolution. One of these contemporaries would surely be Miles Davis under whom both Sonny and Trane have played. Without being able to pin it down, I think that Miles has added a totally new dimension, a new esthetic if you will, to improvising. Part of the novelty seems to reside in a cultivation of sound and of melody virtually unfettered by rigid adherence to chord changes, a sort of metaphysical depth. I recommend all of his Columbia LP's without hesitation, except the new two volume set recorded at the Black Hawk. Judging from recent in-person appearances, I think we can safely say that his next record will easily cut that.

Although Thelonius Monk was a significant creator in the new jazz of the '40's, he reached real maturity in about 1957 with the Brilliant Corners LP on Riverside (12-226). Monk was a pioneer in the controlled use of space in his writing and playing, and his tonal practices are totally original. He is also one of the great wits of jazz. Try one of the several records on which he appears as a solo pianist. Cecil Taylor occupies the position of enfant terrible of the piano which Monk once held. His music--sometimes only peripherally music--consists largely of totally free improvising. It is an exhilarating and frequently terrifying experience. His best work to date may be found on Candid 8006. The most important contributions to jazz piano since Bud Powell have been made by Bill Evans. His tremendous technical skill enables him to realize any idea his highly sensitive and various imagination can conceive. His five trio albums on Riverside demonstrate his growth, except for the fourth one, which is a very ordinary performance, for him.

Now that comment on Ornette Coleman seemed to have abated, we can put him in some sort of perspective. The premium he has placed on freedom has led him to produce some extremely frantic, incoherent solos, which may or may not move you. They seem to be as far from true improvising on one side as the sterile change-running of the neo-boppers is on the other, and least there's a lesson in that. But almost without exception his short, dense lines mark him as one of the great jazz composers of all time. Atlantic 1317 is generally conceded to be his finest album.

Charlie Mingus has developed the most intensely personal, large-souled, and complete body of music in modern jazz. Before you speak out against such a categorical statement, pick up Mingus Presents Mingus (Candid 8005) and give another listen to Mingus Ah Um (Columbia CL-1370).

OF all the arrangers in the jazz of the past few years only one name need be mentioned: Gil Evans. His gifts go far beyond mere orchestration, as the Porgy and Bess album with Miles, or his own band on Impulse A-4 reveal. Bill Russo is an equally talented writer for large ensembles, a lonely figure who deeply believes that seriousness and self-conscious composing can be brought to jazz material. I strongly recommend The World of Alcina (Atlantic 1241) and School of Rebellion (Roulette 52063) if you are willing to listen carefully and then re-listen. The same might be said of George Russell, who has worked out his own enlargement of tonality to fit the needs of the improvising jazzman. Jazz in the Space Age (Decca 9219) contains his most immediately appealing work, full of superb improvising by Bill Evans and others.

Gunther Schuller and John Lewis have somewhat naively tried to incorporate both jazz and overtly classical music either horizontally or vertically in the same work. The cool reception of the jazz world at large is certainly indicative, but instead of passing off these bastard creations dogmatically you might do well to listen to Conversation on Atlantic 1345. There you will find a few minutes of excellent string quartet writing followed by a few minutes of excellent jazz quartet blowing. But as a general direction for future jazz to take, I think that the efforts of these two men will go unheeded. Jazz is preoccupied with problems of a rather different nature, such as how to use a rhythm section in ways that can imply swing. The answers to this and other questions will be worked out by the Minguses and Ornettes, improvisers and leaders who realize that the answer involves less score paper and more imaginative improvising.

Pianist and composer RON BROWN '63 studied with Bill Evans, George Russell, and John Lewis, and played with Ornette Coleman at the Lenox School of Jazz. A "reluctant resident of Leverett House, he was until recently Jazz Director of WHRB.

The reviews in this section deal with jazz, folk-singing, and rock-and-roll. A review of classical records recently released will appear shortly in the regular edition of the CRIMSON.