Jazz in Europe

Should we talk of European jazz or jazz in Europe? What kinds of networks link those who make it happen 'on the ground'? What challenges do they have to face?
Jazz is a part of the cultural fabric of many of the European countries. Jazz in Europe: Networking and Negotiating Identities presents jazz in Europe as a complex arena, where the very notions of cultural identity, jazz practices and Europe are continually being negotiated against an ever changing social, cultural, political and economic environment. The book gives voice to musicians, promoters, festival directors, educators and researchers regarding the challenges they are faced with in their everyday practices. Jazz identities in Europe result from the negotiation between discourse and practice and in the interstices between the formal and informal networks that support them, as if 'Jazz' and 'Europe' were blank canvases where diversified notions of what jazz and Europe should or could be are projected.

José Dias is Senior Lecturer in Music at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, and a jazz researcher, documentarist, composer and musician. He has developed research on European jazz and music for screen and has scored music for theatre, contemporary dance and film.

Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Researching Jazz in Europe Today
2 Challenges for European Jazz Networking
3 Current Strategies
4 Giving Voice to Ground Players
Conclusions
References
Notes
Index