Gary Peters is chair of philosophy and performance and head of research at York St. John University. He is the author of Irony and Singularity: Aesthetic Education from Kant to Levinas and The Philosophy of Improvisation.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 I’ve Started, so I’ll Begin: Heidegger’s Other Beginning and the Origin of Improvisation2 With What Must the Improvisation Begin? Kant and Hegel on Certainty3 Memoir: Lol Coxhill (In Memoriam)4 Case Study: The Recedents (Lol Coxhill, Roger Turner, and Mike Cooper)5 Precision, Decision, and Accuracy: Heidegger and Arendt on Singularity and Solitude6 Decentered Center/Displaced Periphery: A Deleuzian Perspective7 Memoir: San Sebastian Jazz Festival, July 20– 25, 19808 Case Study: Bernard “Pretty” Purdie9 Fixing and Unfi xing Idioms and Non- Idioms: Developing Derek Bailey’s Concept of Improvisation10 A Diff erent Sameness: Borges and Deleuze on Repetition11 Memoir: Bluegrass in Cheltenham12 Case Study: The Del McCoury Band13 Virtuality and Actualization: Deleuze and Bluegrass14 Deleuzian Improvisation15 Improvisation and Habit16 Case Study: Jurij Konjar and Steve Paxton: The Goldberg Variations17 Habit and Event: Rehearsing, Practising, Improvising18 Memoir: The Woburn Pop Festival, 196819 Case Study: Jimi Hendrix20 Composition, Improvisation, and Obligation: Schoenberg and Beckett on Duty21 Bits and Scraps: Derek Bailey and the Improvised Situation22 Memoir: Miles Davis, Royal Festival Hall, July 198423 Case Study: Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

"Peters presents a work on improvisation that is itself an improvisational work—what he calls in chapter 4 a 'live enactment of aesthetic judgment.' As not only a philosopher but an experienced musician with a wealth of knowledge of the subject, he clearly understands his topic both viscerally and philosophically. He provides more of an exploration than a philosophical foundation for improvisation. With lively descriptive and critical examples of jazz improvisers such as Lol Coxhill, Bernard Purdie, Charlie Parker, and his own band, Stinky Winkles, Peters displays an extensive background in Continental philosophy, music history, and education. Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Deleuze, and others are liberally referenced for theoretical connections. The reader should be warned that this book sometimes has a seat-of-the-pants feel that can be refreshing and stimulating at times but can seem scattered and arbitrary at other times, depending on the reader’s taste and mood. Undeniably, the diligent will learn much about the history and theory of musical improvisation, and a lot of philosophy as well. This well-intentioned, often idiosyncratic and obscure book is an enlightening labor of love about a vexing but fascinating topic. Highly recommended."

Gary Peters is chair of philosophy and performance and head of research at York St. John University. He is the author of Irony and Singularity: Aesthetic Education from Kant to Levinas and The Philosophy of Improvisation.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 I’ve Started, so I’ll Begin: Heidegger’s Other Beginning and the Origin of Improvisation2 With What Must the Improvisation Begin? Kant and Hegel on Certainty3 Memoir: Lol Coxhill (In Memoriam)4 Case Study: The Recedents (Lol Coxhill, Roger Turner, and Mike Cooper)5 Precision, Decision, and Accuracy: Heidegger and Arendt on Singularity and Solitude6 Decentered Center/Displaced Periphery: A Deleuzian Perspective7 Memoir: San Sebastian Jazz Festival, July 20– 25, 19808 Case Study: Bernard “Pretty” Purdie9 Fixing and Unfi xing Idioms and Non- Idioms: Developing Derek Bailey’s Concept of Improvisation10 A Diff erent Sameness: Borges and Deleuze on Repetition11 Memoir: Bluegrass in Cheltenham12 Case Study: The Del McCoury Band13 Virtuality and Actualization: Deleuze and Bluegrass14 Deleuzian Improvisation15 Improvisation and Habit16 Case Study: Jurij Konjar and Steve Paxton: The Goldberg Variations17 Habit and Event: Rehearsing, Practising, Improvising18 Memoir: The Woburn Pop Festival, 196819 Case Study: Jimi Hendrix20 Composition, Improvisation, and Obligation: Schoenberg and Beckett on Duty21 Bits and Scraps: Derek Bailey and the Improvised Situation22 Memoir: Miles Davis, Royal Festival Hall, July 198423 Case Study: Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

"Peters presents a work on improvisation that is itself an improvisational work—what he calls in chapter 4 a 'live enactment of aesthetic judgment.' As not only a philosopher but an experienced musician with a wealth of knowledge of the subject, he clearly understands his topic both viscerally and philosophically. He provides more of an exploration than a philosophical foundation for improvisation. With lively descriptive and critical examples of jazz improvisers such as Lol Coxhill, Bernard Purdie, Charlie Parker, and his own band, Stinky Winkles, Peters displays an extensive background in Continental philosophy, music history, and education. Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Deleuze, and others are liberally referenced for theoretical connections. The reader should be warned that this book sometimes has a seat-of-the-pants feel that can be refreshing and stimulating at times but can seem scattered and arbitrary at other times, depending on the reader’s taste and mood. Undeniably, the diligent will learn much about the history and theory of musical improvisation, and a lot of philosophy as well. This well-intentioned, often idiosyncratic and obscure book is an enlightening labor of love about a vexing but fascinating topic. Highly recommended."

Gary Peters is chair of philosophy and performance and head of research at York St. John University. He is the author of Irony and Singularity: Aesthetic Education from Kant to Levinas and The Philosophy of Improvisation.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 I’ve Started, so I’ll Begin: Heidegger’s Other Beginning and the Origin of Improvisation2 With What Must the Improvisation Begin? Kant and Hegel on Certainty3 Memoir: Lol Coxhill (In Memoriam)4 Case Study: The Recedents (Lol Coxhill, Roger Turner, and Mike Cooper)5 Precision, Decision, and Accuracy: Heidegger and Arendt on Singularity and Solitude6 Decentered Center/Displaced Periphery: A Deleuzian Perspective7 Memoir: San Sebastian Jazz Festival, July 20– 25, 19808 Case Study: Bernard “Pretty” Purdie9 Fixing and Unfi xing Idioms and Non- Idioms: Developing Derek Bailey’s Concept of Improvisation10 A Diff erent Sameness: Borges and Deleuze on Repetition11 Memoir: Bluegrass in Cheltenham12 Case Study: The Del McCoury Band13 Virtuality and Actualization: Deleuze and Bluegrass14 Deleuzian Improvisation15 Improvisation and Habit16 Case Study: Jurij Konjar and Steve Paxton: The Goldberg Variations17 Habit and Event: Rehearsing, Practising, Improvising18 Memoir: The Woburn Pop Festival, 196819 Case Study: Jimi Hendrix20 Composition, Improvisation, and Obligation: Schoenberg and Beckett on Duty21 Bits and Scraps: Derek Bailey and the Improvised Situation22 Memoir: Miles Davis, Royal Festival Hall, July 198423 Case Study: Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

"Peters presents a work on improvisation that is itself an improvisational work—what he calls in chapter 4 a 'live enactment of aesthetic judgment.' As not only a philosopher but an experienced musician with a wealth of knowledge of the subject, he clearly understands his topic both viscerally and philosophically. He provides more of an exploration than a philosophical foundation for improvisation. With lively descriptive and critical examples of jazz improvisers such as Lol Coxhill, Bernard Purdie, Charlie Parker, and his own band, Stinky Winkles, Peters displays an extensive background in Continental philosophy, music history, and education. Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Deleuze, and others are liberally referenced for theoretical connections. The reader should be warned that this book sometimes has a seat-of-the-pants feel that can be refreshing and stimulating at times but can seem scattered and arbitrary at other times, depending on the reader’s taste and mood. Undeniably, the diligent will learn much about the history and theory of musical improvisation, and a lot of philosophy as well. This well-intentioned, often idiosyncratic and obscure book is an enlightening labor of love about a vexing but fascinating topic. Highly recommended."