Every night, somewhere in the world, three or four musicians will take the stage to play together. If the action takes place in a jazz club, a bar or a private party, not a note but start with a question like this: "Did you know 'Body and Soul'?". And from there, the subtle art of interpreting the jazz repertoire will be staged in public. Perhaps these musicians have never played together before, and may not even be known. How do they get, then everything goes reasonably well? Jazz in action tells the incredible dynamics of professional musicians from the point of view of what happens on stage. Robert R. Faulkner and Howard S. Becker-both jazz musicians with decades of experience, well-known sociologists reveal the amazing set of skills that musicians need to do their job. Since it is impossible to memorize the hundreds of thousands of songs that are part of the massive knowledge should employ common strategies and improvise together to exit gracefully. So, explore the land on which the other feels more comfortable, hide when they move in unfamiliar areas and at the same time respond to the unpredictable demands of the audience, who can ask cries a polka or a dark sentimental song. With skill and wit, Faulkner and Becker argue that, as in other fields of culture, the code must be understood as a process, as something that is made and remade as people incorporate new rhythms and songs, discuss, learn and teach, selected and executed. Made from personal experiences, as well as interviews and observations, this book achieves a perfect combination of juicy anecdotes and critical acumen. It is also a masterpiece for understanding collective action and interpersonal negotiations in any sphere of human interaction.