Review by Choice Review
Into the Maelstrom is the first of two works by Toop (audio culture and improvisation, London College of Communication, UK) on the subject of improvisation. This first volume comprises 12 chapters, each consisting of several short vignettes. The roughly 50 interviews Toop conducted significantly impact the breadth of this work. In chapter 1, Toop admits that he is interested not in "theories or dogmas of improvisation" but rather in general themes, for example, the role of the audience and the nature of freedom and control. Describing the world as increasingly policed and regulated, Toop argues that people have come to devalue the role of improvisation in human behavior. Although the focus of Into the Maelstrom is music, Toop also examines theater, film, and the visual arts along with sociologists such as W. E. B. Du Bois. He explores a wide variety of musical styles and practitioners, including jazz musicians Sidney Bechet, Ornette Coleman, and the AACM; composers such as Luciano Berio, John Cage, Edgard Varèse, and Percy Grainger; and the rock band Pink Floyd. Toop also acknowledges the role of technology in music and improvisation--as exemplified by, for example, composer/performing artist Pauline Oliveros. The interesting discography will be a useful resource. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. --David J. Schmalenberger, McNally Smith College of Music
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
