Hamilton discusses music and aesthetics, particularly music's human and social basis, through an argument that is influenced by Kant and Adorno and that proposes an aesthetic conception of music, not just a consideration of the aesthetics of music. He bases the book on the Kantian concept of philosophical aesthetics and examines the music of Ancient Greece, Western art and non-Western music, as well as improvisation and the differences between popular and art music. He considers emotion and language, rhythm, the concept of music and its relation to contemporary sound-art, the nature of the musical experience, improvisation vs. composition, and Ancient Greek and modern German aesthetics. Hamilton, a jazz pianist, teaches philosophy and the history and aesthetics of jazz at Durham U. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)