International Society for Jazz Research

The author advocates a cross-cultural study of jazz, stressing the difficulties arising from the fact that our musical apparatus at present is largely geared to the study of music in terms of notation, not in terms of the actual sound. Jazz, however, is exceedingly difficult to write down, its timing as well as its precise sound.

The author therefore suggests research into a form of notation specific to jazz. He recommends a systematic and comparative phonology of jazz, the extension of jazz terminology, the study of tapes, discs, interviews, writings by and about jazz musicians, their biographies, monographs, record catalogues, programmes, pictorial, film and notated material; also work in ethnology, sociology, psychology, aesthetics, structural and stylistic analysis, instrumentation, historiography and regional studies.

Specifically he proposes research into the question as to whether, and to what extent, Afro- American vocal effects have been carried over into instrumental playing; to what social class jazz musicians belong and what their social status is, to what class the jazz audience belongs and what its listening habits are; the specific attitude of the young to jazz and the function that it occupies in their sub-culture; the extent to which social acceptance of the jazz musician has changed his music; the relationship between the Freedom Movement and Free Jazz; psychological investigation of the process of improvising; psychological investigation of the jazz audience and its states of receptivity; the impact of European harmony on Afro-Americans; the use of jazz in musical therapy; the development of a specific phenomenology of jazz (subjective versus objective values); reasons why advocates of a particular form of jazz deprecated those of other forms.

In his conclusions the author finds that jazz research cannot function without the aid of other disciplines, these disciplines, however, must be modified in the service of jazz. The direction of major projects in jazz research can only be carried out by teams formed by representatives of these disciplines. Perhaps the International Society for Jazz Research can institutionalize the formation of such teams. Progress should be reported and controlled by regular publication in an appropriate journal. Each of the sections ought to prepare catalogues of themes for specific tasks of research. Central archives and a central catalogue should be established. Names and addresses of musicians, researchers and collectors should be compiled and published.

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