Jazz in the 1970s (to a slight degree)

I'm currently reading Bill Shoemaker's Jazz in the 1970s: Diverging Streams (2018, Rowman & Littlefield) and learning a great deal about a handful of subjects.

Despite its reputation as a low point in jazz' development, much happened in the music during the decade: the rise of fusion and smooth jazz, Miles' electric phase and long absence, the return of Dexter Gordon, on and on. Since much of that has been covered in other books, Shoemaker keeps a narrower scope, mostly touching upon Europeans and the avant-garde. Whether it's too narrow a scope is a matter of personal taste, but I like his approach well enough.

Each chapter represents one year of the decade and focuses upon one musician or event of significance during that year. Again, this excludes a great deal of what came about in the 70s, but it offers Shoemaker the chance to dig more deeply into these few subjects. The breakdown is as follows:

1970: Chris McGregor and the confluence of British jazz with free and South African elements

1971: Albert Mangelsdorff as the bridge between European mainstream jazz and the avant-garde

1972: Julius Hemphill, Black Artists Group, and Dogon A.D.

1973: The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz

1974: Anthony Braxton's signing with Arista

1975: The Montreux Festival, emphasizing Archie Shepp

1976: Loft jazz, focusing on Ornette and Sam Rivers

1977: Derek Bailey and Company

1978: Jimmy Carter's jazz event at the White House

1979: The Art Ensemble of Chicago on ECM

Coda: Into the 1980s and beyond, from Wynton to the growth of European improv

Some sections are hit-and-miss. Five pages into the fourth chapter, after talking at length about Pops and Jelly Roll and such, Shoemaker finally gets to the Smithsonian Collection as his focus for '73. Even then, after acknowledging that the set was important in establishing a canon, he spends more time comparing the anthology's unbalanced coverage of Ornette and Coltrane than anything else.

Other parts are more focused and most interesting. I knew very little about Chris McGregor until now, and the chapters on Mangelsdorff and Hemphill plugged large holes in my understanding of their histories. Shoemaker has a knack for meaningful research and presenting his subjects in interesting, enlightening ways.

If you have an interest in these comparatively few subjects, I definitely recommend this book. If you want a more comprehensive overview of jazz in that era, The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the 70s by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler might still be the best bet.