| Summary: | This PhD submission consists of two discrete parts: Part one is a thesis which examines some of the current debates of cultural and critical theory as a background to my own practice and looks in particular at some of the ways in which music production and performance in this period relates to my own work as a composer and performer. For this, I draw on the work of a number of authors including Barthes, Becker, Frith, Goodwin, Hesmondhalgh, Jameson, and Toynbee and pay particular attention to the relationship between contemporary notions of creative production in a so-called `postmodern' environment. I do this with special reference to the Hard Bop of Black America in the 1960s and, more broadly, the practices and procedures of musicians working in the aural traditions of Jazz and Popular music. In the latter part of the thesis a semi-autobiographical approach is taken in order to examine and deconstruct my creative process; here I look in particular at some of the issues relating to collective cultural production and collective authorship. The thesis also contains as an appendix a number of short commentaries on my works. Part two is a portfolio of 18 recordings and scores of a collaborative nine-piece, improvising Hammond organ-lead ensemble. The ensemble consists of 3 reeds (saxophones and flute in various combinations), 2 trumpets doubling flugelhorn, trombone, organ, guitar and drums. I composed all of the music in the portfolio and arranged 14 of the pieces. Anthony Adams arranged the other 4 compositions. The recordings have a collective running time of approximately 110 minutes and are performed by the `first call' professional musicians of northern England. 14 of the compositions were recorded `live' with an audience and the 4 most recent recordings were produced in studio conditions. The starting point for this long-term, on-going project was the Hard-Bop tradition of 1960s/70s Hammond organ practice (sometimes known as `Acid jazz') but the aim has been to extend and develop this approach by using a number and juxtaposition of more recent styles, combinations of instruments and harmonic procedures to create a surprising synthesis.
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