Allan Holdsworth is Dead

[Boilk]

Oddly enough not yet mentioned on the Manifesto Holdsworth page.

When it says "With DVD remastered" is that DVD audio, or video?

[Joseph K]

I've just pre-ordered my copy - https://jazzinbritain.org/product-tag/allan-holdsworth/

[Joseph K]

This is the place to preorder the aforementioned AH CD/DVD set if you live in the UK -

https://www.wowhd.co.uk/allan-holdsworth-frankfurt-86/767004651927

[Boilk]

Gary Husband's new musical tribute to Allan, three years on...

https://markus-reuter-moonjune.bandcamp.com/track/white-horses-for-allan

[Serial_Apologist]

Gary Husband's new musical tribute to Allan, three years on...

https://markus-reuter-moonjune.bandc...rses-for-allan

I exchanged a few words with Gary at the end of a solo gig he did a few years ago in a north London gallery - I forget which one now - and he came across as a very friendly guy, eager to talk about musical interests. An extraordinary musician, whether on keys or drums. It's amazing to remind oneself he first came to the attention as a 17-year old, drumming temporarily for Barbara Thompson in her band Paraphernalia. I think he might well have been her last before Jon folded Colosseum and came over. This track reminds me of a lot of Takemitsu's music. I wonder if it or the album when released will make it onto J to Z, or Freeness.

[Joseph K]

I've just pre-ordered my copy - https://jazzinbritain.org/product-tag/allan-holdsworth/

This arrived today.

[Serial_Apologist]

This arrived today.

Let us know if it's any good, Joseph!

[Joseph K]

Let us know if it's any good, Joseph!

Alas - slight disappointment. I am not entirely sure what I expected, but I'd say the weight/size of the book sort of belies its content - i.e. the book owes its length to the fact that it is comprehensive, but its analyses are a bit on the superficial side. I've only read the entries for the albums 'Secrets' and 'The Sixteen Men of Tain' - there are some interesting interview comments about the former, and some about the latter.

I suppose what I was hopefully expecting was some technical discussion of harmony, and scales and rhythm and how these elements interact in Holdsworth's music. This is fertile territory, since Holdsworth's music is full of rich colourful harmonies, that his lines are those of a staggeringly unique and powerful stylist whose playing transcends what is normally expected of a guitarist.

From what I can tell of the book, these things are all absent. Although I wouldn't expect the kind of depth and scope expected for, say, the work of a musicologist's Ph.D thesis, it might have been nice to have some music examples as you get in, for example, Lewis Porter's book on Coltrane.

So, while the book is certain comprehensive and quite big anyway (almost 400 pages) it would be immeasurably improved had it featured a few case studies going into depth analysing some of Holdsworth's music.

[Serial_Apologist]

Alas - slight disappointment. I am not entirely sure what I expected, but I'd say the weight/size of the book sort of belies its content - i.e. the book owes its length to the fact that it is comprehensive, but its analyses are a bit on the superficial side. I've only read the entries for the albums 'Secrets' and 'The Sixteen Men of Tain' - there are some interesting interview comments about the former, and some about the latter.

I suppose what I was hopefully expecting was some technical discussion of harmony, and scales and rhythm and how these elements interact in Holdsworth's music. This is fertile territory, since all but the most cloth-eared can hear that Holdsworth's music is full of rich colourful harmonies, that his lines are those of a staggeringly unique and powerful stylist whose playing transcends what is normally expected of a guitarist.

From what I can tell of the book, these things are all absent. Although I wouldn't expect the kind of depth and scope expected for, say, the work of a musicologist's Ph.D thesis, it might have been nice to have some music examples as you get in, for example, Lewis Porter's book on Coltrane.

So, while the book is certain comprehensive and quite big anyway (almost 400 pages) it would be immeasurably improved had it featured a few case studies going into depth analysing some of Holdsworth's music.

That would count as a massive disappointment for me - 400+ pages and £30 down the... road! It looks like the Thread of Lunacy review of it you linked to in #42 was more worthwhile!

[Joseph K]

That would count as a massive disappointment for me - 400+ pages and £30 down the... road! It looks like the Thread of Lunacy review of it you linked to in #42 was more worthwhile!

[Joseph K]

This just appeared on youtube -

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FC6MGrthO_w

[Boilk]

I suppose what I was hopefully expecting was some technical discussion of harmony, and scales and rhythm and how these elements interact in Holdsworth's music. This is fertile territory, since Holdsworth's music is full of rich colourful harmonies, that his lines are those of a staggeringly unique and powerful stylist whose playing transcends what is normally expected of a guitarist.

From what I can tell of the book, these things are all absent. Although I wouldn't expect the kind of depth and scope expected for, say, the work of a musicologist's Ph.D thesis, it might have been nice to have some music examples as you get in, for example, Lewis Porter's book on Coltrane.

I can understand your disspointment JK. From Google searches, I've previously managed to download PDFs of:

• Bjørn Schille's "ALLAN HOLDSWORTH RESHAPING HARMONY" Master Thesis in Musicology - 2011 (Institute of Musicology| University of Oslo)
• James Rosenberg's “I’d Rather Be Broke and Happy than Miserable and Rich: The Life and Music of Allan Holdsworth" - BA Thesis - 2013 (Wesleyan University, Connecticut)

[Joseph K]

I can understand your disspointment JK. From Google searches, I've previously managed to download PDFs of:

• Bjørn Schille's "ALLAN HOLDSWORTH RESHAPING HARMONY" Master Thesis in Musicology - 2011 (Institute of Musicology| University of Oslo)
• James Rosenberg's “I’d Rather Be Broke and Happy than Miserable and Rich: The Life and Music of Allan Holdsworth" - BA Thesis - 2013 (Wesleyan University, Connecticut)

Thanks! These ought to be made into books - I mean, I'm not fond of reading long things on my laptop. Unfortunately, Holdsworth's popularity - which is more cultishly iconic than mainstream - means it's unlikely a publisher would take this up - I suspect - however a publisher evidently took up 'The Otherworldly Music of Allan Holdsworth' so - who knows?

[Boilk]

Thanks! These ought to be made into books - I mean, I'm not fond of reading long things on my laptop. Unfortunately, Holdsworth's popularity - which is more cultishly iconic than mainstream - means it's unlikely a publisher would take this up - I suspect - however a publisher evidently took up 'The Otherworldly Music of Allan Holdsworth' so - who knows?

It's actually quite easy to self-publish on Amazon these days, so writers can piggy-back of that ubiquitous platform and be found by their niche audience!

I take it you've got 1985's Reaching For The Uncommon Chord (Chris Hoard with Allan Holdsworth)?

[Joseph K]

I take it you've got 1985's Reaching For The Uncommon Chord (Chris Hoard with Allan Holdsworth)?

I do. I also have several decent magazine articles with musical examples about his playing.