Jazz has never been completely cut off from the European musical tradition as some people imagine; we can immediately recall that some New Orleans musicians also played in the City Opera. Initially, most contacts were attempts to use ‘classical’ techniques, but as the general level of technical sophistication in jazz has increased, contacts between jazz and the more progressive parts of European music have been attempted. One of the first of these was Charlie Parker’s approach to Edgar Varese, destined to be fruitless because it took place so soon before Parker’s death. During the last decade, the number of borrowings, syntheses and approaches that have been attempted has increased, and a delineation and analysis of the total movement and its effects would take more time and space than we have available. Further development along these lines is in every way desirable. If we seriously accept the validity of the jazz tradition, we can envisage the development of a completely new musical form.

The approach made by Albert Ayler and his colleagues to contemporary European developments has been made solely on the basis of their attitude towards jazz, in some ways a destructive one. In making their music, these men have not used a knowledge of academic theory. Ayler and Peacock have had comparatively little formal musical education, while Sonny Murray is not much older than Ringo and was until recently a rock’n’roll drummer. Others, including both composers and jazz musicians, have attempted to make conscious use of European music in playing and writing ‘jazz’. Some of these attempts, such as parts of Gunther Schuller’s writing, and Donald Ellis’ use of serial and aleatoric techniques have been abortive. Others have been more successful, particularly the singular work of George Russell, which is a valid contribution to both traditions, and a complete refutation of the separatist point of view. One of the most recent attempts, of slighter significance than Russell’s music, but exciting nonetheless because it is so adventurous and thoroughgoing is that presented by the Bob James Trio in Explosions (esp-disk 1009). This record and Ayler’s Spiritual Unity are Bernard Stollman’s most important releases. Pianist Bob James was first noticed in 1962, when, leading a trio which included his present drummer, he represented the University of Michigan in an inter-collegiate jazz festival. His first record, Bold Conceptions (Mercury 20768) has never been released in Britain. This, his second, shows him to be a very accomplished musician, deriving at least as much direction from European sources as he does from previous jazz, and he is particularly original in attempting to develop a schema for group improvisation with ideas drawn from contemporary academic music.