As Serious As Your Life

As essential now as when it was first published in 1977, 'As Serious As Your Life' celebrates the new black music of the 1960s and 70s, powerfully capturing one of the most dynamic and revolutionary musical movements of the 20th century. Combining first-hand reportage with a historian's eye for the broader picture of American life and politics, Wilmer evokes brilliantly the rich musical legacy of Black America and a celebration of its drive towards innovation and experimentation - the same drive that has re-emerged today in the work of a new generation of black artists. Wilmer evaluates the musical careers of the big names of the time - Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra and Cecil Taylor - and those of less-known artists.