Home » Jazz Articles » Book Review » The Musings of Matthew Shipp: Black Mystery School Piani...

The Musings of Matthew Shipp: Black Mystery School Pianists And Other Writings

By Mark Corroto
April 6, 2025
View read count

Mystery School pianists have developed profound ways of generating sound out of the instrument, grounded in a technique they invented��one that cannot be taught in school.
—Matthew Shipp

Black Mystery School Pianists And Other Writings
Matthew Shipp
93 Pages
ISBN: # 978-1-57027-435-0
Automedia
2025

Whether you own one Matthew Shipp album or 250, his music inevitably raises the question: Where does his artistic vision originate? Understanding any artist is complex, but with someone as innovative as Shipp, deciphering his musical DNA is an especially intriguing pursuit.

Anyone who has followed Shipp on social media knows he is an outspoken critic—not just of American conservative politics but also of conservatism within jazz itself. To say he is unfiltered would be an understatement. In interviews, he has never hesitated to critique presidents, "neo-con" musicians, and the institutions that uphold the status quo.

This slim volume collects Shipp's writings, along with a transcript of his 2017 lecture at

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn's performance space, The Stone. The introduction, written by poet Yuko Otomo (partner of the late Steve Dalachinsky), sets the stage by recalling her first encounter with Shipp as a 23-year-old pianist in New York's East Village in 1983. She paints a vivid picture of the creative energy that defined the city's Lower East Side in the 1980s and '90s—a time of post-punk music, street art, affordable rents, and a vibrant club and dance scene. It was also home to a thriving community of avant-garde musicians, including

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker, John Zorn,

Lawrence "Butch" Morris

cornet
1947 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Lawrence "Butch" Morris, and

Jemeel Moondoc

saxophone, alto
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Jemeel Moondoc.

Shipp arrived in this artistic crucible with a background in classical training and a deep love of jazz, instilled by his parents. His mother, a friend of

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown (a fellow Wilmington, Delaware native), introduced him to the music early on. Though he studied at the University of Delaware and the New England Conservatory, he ultimately chose to develop his craft organically. His early meeting with bassist William Parker on the Lower East Side sparked a collaboration that has lasted nearly four decades. Over the years, Shipp's name has become synonymous with groundbreaking work alongside musicians like

Rob Brown

saxophone, alto
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Brown,

David S. Ware

saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">David S. Ware,

Roscoe Mitchell

saxophone
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Roscoe Mitchell,

Ivo Perelman

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Ivo Perelman,

Evan Parker

saxophone, soprano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Evan Parker, and

Joe Morris

bass, acoustic
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Morris.

Much of his career has been explored in previous books, including Logos and Language: A Post-Jazz Metaphorical Dialogue (RogueArt, 2008) by Steve Dalachinsky and Singularity Codex: Matthew Shipp on RogueArt (RogueArt, 2023) by Clifford Allen. But this collection offers something different—Shipp's thoughts in his own words.

The book features personal reflections on musicians he admires, diary-style notes from his tours, musings on the connection between boxing and jazz, life in New York, and his ongoing philosophical exploration of improvisation.

Shipp profiles a range of influential figures, including David S. Ware,

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter,

Paul Bley

piano
1932 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Bley, Dennis Sandole,

Sun Ra

piano
1914 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Sun Ra, Roscoe Mitchell, and

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk. Ware is an obvious inclusion, as Shipp spent 16 years in his quartet alongside Parker and a rotating cast of drummers. That experience was pivotal in shaping Shipp's artistic path, reinforcing the lineage between jazz's forebears and his own creative explorations. Sandole, Shipp's former teacher and mentor, also guided

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane and Shipp's contemporary Rob Brown. His admiration for Shorter, Bley, Mitchell, Monk, and Ra is clear—all of them, like Shipp, are instantly recognizable after just a few notes.

In the title essay, Shipp expands on his philosophy, writing, "Mystery School pianists have developed profound ways of generating sound out of the instrument, grounded in a technique they invented—one that cannot be taught in school." Though his music is now studied in academic settings, he designates Monk as the spiritual father of this lineage. His list of Mystery School pianists includes eight core members, with a few tentative additions. Interestingly, his definition excludes most free jazz pianists but does include

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor and, at times,

Dave Burrell

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Burrell—depending on the context. It's an argument that provides ample material for debate.

The book's remaining essays and the Zero Lecture delve into Shipp's search for the deeper mysteries of improvisation. He draws on a broad spectrum of influences—Christian and non-Christian spirituality, science, and mathematics. Between allusions to angels and DNA, he hints at a discovery that transcends known dimensions. His concept of "Zero" parallels the way the Sumerians first defined the numeral in ancient Babylon—something seemingly nonexistent to the Greeks before them. In this metaphor, Shipp's music, like zero, is both nowhere and everywhere, waiting to be uncovered.

PREVIOUS / NEXT

View of 124
< Previous

Rainbows Of Your Love
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.