Creative labour and collective interaction

The working lives of young jazz musicians in London

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2373785
AutoresCharles Umney (0000-0001-5757-920X, University of Greenwich), Lefteris Kretsos (0000-0002-8154-8734, University of Greenwich)
Ano2014
Volume28
Fascículo4
Páginas571-588
Data de publicação2014-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoWork Employment and Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0950-0170 • E-ISSN: 1469-8722
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0950017013491452
OpenAlexW2126979775
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas40
Referências citadas31

This article explores the types of work undertaken by jazz musicians in London, categorizing their activities using two axes derived from debates over 'creative labour'. Firstly, the extent to which different jobs offer scope for creative autonomy and, secondly, the extent to which they involve collective as opposed to individualized working relationships. It focuses on the process of becoming established on the London 'scene', presenting qualitative interview data primarily with young workers seeking to build their careers. Musicians may make conscious decisions to pursue types of work which enable greater creative autonomy, but in doing so they may exacerbate fatalism about poor working conditions and undermine professional solidarity. The article also explores how pressures towards 'entrepreneurialism' in other forms of music work constitute further barriers to collective contestation of working conditions. Finally, it points towards types of music work where notions of professional economic interest have more traction

Aesthetics · Art · Autonomy · Creativity · Jazz · Political science · Public relations · Scope (computer science · Sociology · Solidarity · Visual arts · Work (physics · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Music History and Culture · Musicians’ Health and Performance · Psychology · Social Psychology