“This innovative and multidisciplinary work by scholar, jazz pianist, and composer Steve Tromans offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between music and philosophy. Through the original concept of Rhythmicity, the author investigates the intersections of music improvisation and composition with Gilles Deleuze's philosophy of time, creating a rich and complex dialogue that sheds light on both fields. This book will be of interest to anyone seeking new ways to think about the interplay of art, philosophy, and musical practice.”
— Paulo De Assis, Orpheus Institute
"This is an important contribution to the emerging field of artistic research. Through three ingeniously constructed research projects, Tromans explores the possibilities of music and philosophy as interacting modes of thought, in the process providing unique insights into Deleuze’s theory of time and the interdisciplinary concept of rhythmicity. Essential reading for students of Deleuze, aesthetics and interarts collaboration."
— Ronald Bogue
"A fascinating book exploring the author’s concept of Rhythmicity. Operating between the practices of musical improvisation/composition and philosophy, this book makes a notable contribution to the developing field of creative practice as research. Eloquent in its choice and crystal clear articulations of some well-chosen concept taken from the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, the author develops these concepts musically and philosophically in relation to his own creative practice in innovative ways."
— Edward Campbell, University of Aberdeen
"In this fascinating book, Steve Tromans makes a significant and unusual contribution to the ever-expanding fields of improvisation studies and performance philosophy. Jointly grounded in the philosophical work of Gilles Deleuze and his own practice-research as a performing pianist, he forges a central concept of 'Rhythmicity' which amounts to a highly original articulation of the concept of time as an intertwining of philosophy and music. Unlike most philosophical texts that draw on the work of Deleuze in order to illuminate music practice, Tromans's intentions are far more complex and nuanced, seeking instead to ultimately illuminate philosophy through the affective process of creating, listening, reading and writing. The result is a book that will be welcomed by those many philosophically engaged creative practitioners who have sought greater equality in the relationship between practice-based research and philosophical theory."
— Gary Peters, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Performance, York St John University
"Steve Tromans’ Rhythmicity and Deleuze is an important work of Performance Philosophy - bringing a much-needed practitioner perspective to the field of Deleuzian Music Philosophy informed by his highly respected career as a pianist and composer. Rather than simply applying Deleuze to music – as if making music was not a philosophical activity in its own right - Tromans sets up a reciprocal rhythmicity between the two to see what new insights into the philosophy of time might be borne from that encounter. Crucially, this is a book we must listen to as well as read, or indeed listen to as we read!"
— Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca, Amsterdam University of the Arts
“In developing a novel concept of Rhythmicity, Tromans puts Deleuze’s ideas about time, process, difference, repetition, and more to productive, creative use, correctly locating rhythm as a key part of Deleuze’s conceptual apparatus and demonstrating by example some ways in which Deleuze’s (and Guattari’s) thought can interweave with musical creation, and vice versa. By putting his musicking self right in the middle of the action, he offers a compelling series of illustrations of how philosophy and music might potentially ‘fold’ into one another to produce new thinking-in-action.”
— Chris Stover, Griffith University