Just ordered this from Amazon.Uk and will be checking out its relevancy to PA (i.e. the jazz rock fusion section), since Amazon's synopsis suggests somethings to debate in detail:

Synopsis
"Is Jazz Dead?" examines the state of jazz in America at the turn of the twenty-first century; a time when musicians themselves are returning to New Orleans, Swing, and Bebop styles, while the work of the '60s avant-garde and even '70s and '80s jazz-rock is roundly ignored. Stuart Nicholson's thought-provoking book offers an analysis of the American scene, how it came to be so stagnant, and what it can do to create a new level of creativity. Potentially controversial among jazz purists and musicians; it will, however, generate discussion about how jazz should grow; now that it has become a recognized part of American musical history. "Is Jazz Dead?" dares to ask the question on all jazz fan's minds: Can jazz survive as a living medium? And, if so, how?

Also noted that, what appears a second edition of Nicholson's Jazz Rock: A History is out (different cover from my old copy):

I intend reviewing this book (at least on the basis of the first edition), once I've re-read it and refreshed my memory of details - unless somebody wishes to get in before me

Whoops didn't scroll far enough through the Nicholson section at Amazon, since this picture appears (i.e. the cover of my version of the book) eventually:

Dick Heath wrote: Whoops didn't scroll far enough through the Nicholson section at Amazon, since this picture appears (i.e. the cover of my version of the book) eventually:

Now here is a reference book!!!!!!!!!!!

Dick Heath wrote:

Just arrived and I've managed to read, but not necessarily digest, the first third of this book last night.

Nicholson continues to demonstrate he is one of the most scholarly jazz and jazz rock writers around, covering the state of jazz at the end of the 20th Century and moves into the new millenium. He is still a most readable writer too. On the evidence of the Introduction and first three chapters read, Nicholson shows he has read widely a range of academic and journalistic reviews on jazz, as well as interviewing a large number of proponents involved in this debate. Each chapters deal in great and complex detail with a single topic that have been briefly covered in the press, e.g. the status quo of mainstream jazz and reasons why jazz rock, free jazz, world jazz are excluded by the conservatives and the record industry, Wynton Marsalis's prevailing (conservative) idealogy in the US, the concept of public funded jazz with the example of the richest jazz centre i.e. the Lincoln Arts Center in NYC, and I'm about to read a chapter on neo-jazz, i.e. the retro jazz of Diana Kraal and Jamie Callum, the safety of which the record companies grow fat upon, whilst not moving jazz on one iota. Later I see there is a chapter on Nordic jazz - and flicking through here, I see there is  an interview with  Jaga Jazzist.

The sources of information are many and come thick and fast, and the evidence of the first third means I'll have to re-read this book several times to hope to understand what Nicholson is saying, in a more thorough way. Where Nicholson has been somewhat one sided in his music articles in jazz magazines and UK newspapers, he adopts a far more neutral point of view here i.e. he has made room for most if not all aspects of the arguments in each chapter. As a result there is a high density of information and his interpretation of it, (and some instances the interpretation is left to the reader), i.e. requiring re-reading.

From what I've read - and I intend giving a fuller review later - this is a near-essential read for those who enjoy their jazz, jazz fusion etc, who are concerned about the lack of change, and have the time to intellectualise the many issues of modern jazz and its future progressions.