Jazz 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Jazz - Softcover

Szwed, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786884967 ISBN 13: 9780786884964

Publisher: Hachette Books, 2000

Synopsis

A vital tool in understanding and appreciating jazz -- introducing the key figures, theory, and the controversies that shaped it development -- that explores how it became North America's most popular music in less than fifty years.
Often called America's only original art form, jazz is also one of our least understood. This fascinating entry into the world of jazz for the beginner, novice, casual enthusiast, or anyone who thinks jazz stopped developing in the 1950s, a misconception widely held today, debunks fallacies and analyzes the myths, history, and developments of this enthralling art form.
John F. Szwed, anthropologist, critic, and musical scholar, takes readers on a tour of the varied and nonlinear history of jazz, exploring how it developed from an ethnic music to popular music to part of the avant garde in less than fifty years. But he also offers insightful commentary on how jazz changed the way the world would look at music.
This complete overview includes:

• The major types of jazz and the significant jazz musicians of the 20th century
• The roots of jazz, including its European and African influences
• Extensive sidebars with recommended listening, plus exhaustive appendices on jazz singers, record guides, and more

Jazz 101 makes jazz, with all its intricacies of artistry and vast array of forms, accessible to readers in fluid, entertaining prose.

About this title

About the Author

John F. Szwed is currently a professor of anthropology, African and African-American studies, music, and American studies at Yale University. He has written seven books on music and African-American culture and numerous articles and reviews on related subjects. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellowship. He lives in Connecticut.

From AudioFile

In this idiosyncratic introduction to jazz, John Szwed's tone is refreshing--he's not ideological (jazz writers have a tendency to be dismissive of certain styles or artists), he recognizes that jazz didn't end in 1960 (see Ken Burns), and his notes on landmark recordings are concise gems. Grover Gardner's reading is entirely competent, but he's like a pianist with great chops and no swing. To be fair, he's hindered by the book's disorganized structure and by the editorial decision to include the CD catalog numbers in the narration. A more creative production would have brought out the strengths of this book. D.B. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Hachette Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0786884967
• ISBN 13: 9780786884964
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336