A New History of Jazz - Hardcover

Alyn Shipton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0826447546 ISBN 13: 9780826447548

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2001

Synopsis

The March 1913 issue of the San Francisco Bulletin coined the term "jazz" - using it to describe a dance music full of vigor and "pep." Over time, jazz became the word used to describe the syncopated bands that became popular in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century, playing a fiery mix of African and European music that then became popular in Chicago and New York and, finally, the world over. It wasn't long before the Roaring 1920s became known as "the Jazz Age," forever attaching the music form to decadence, booze, sex, and dancing.In his mammoth book A New History of Jazz, BBC presenter and London Times jazz critic Alyn Shipton investigates how jazz first started - examining the precursors of the music, identifying the difficulties in mapping out its history, and challenging the traditional views of its development. More than just a rote narrative, A New History of Jazz provides critical analysis of the jazz history that has been "written" among both academics and musicians over the last century. Shipton argues that the music's history is so characterized by underground clubs, regional styles, and the "fringe" element in general that previous attempts at tracing its routes have failed to grasp the big picture. He even questions the possibility of creating a universally applicable definition of jazz. Shipton also explores how different things contributed to the modern notions of jazz music. He examines how the development of sound recordings, instrumental innovations, and new methods of music publishing took the art form from its bayou routes to different urban areas around the country, and finally beyond the borders of the United States. A New History of Jazz further examines how the network of theaters, concert halls, and performances that sprang up all over the United States in the twentieth century contributed to the spread of the music's popularity and the different styles that have developed over the years. Leaving no stone unturned, Shipton's history of jazz is as sweeping as it is personal. This is the book that jazz aficionados have been waiting for, as well as an excellent primer for the casual fan.

About this title

About the Author

Alyn Shipton presents jazz radio programs for the BBC and is a critic for The Times in London. He is the author of several books on music, as well as a music publisher and editor. He divides his time between Oxford and the French countryside. In 2010, he was voted UK Jazz Broadcaster of the Year.

Review

"This book will be the best existing history of jazz....A major contribution to musicology and cultural studies."—Robert Walser, Professor and Chair of the Musicology Department at UCLA and Editor of American Music
"As jazz underwent a renaissance of sorts in the 1990s, jazz criticism flooded the publishing market. But few of those books were as nuanced or readable as British critic Shipton's, which spans the entire history of jazz....Shipton's detailed treatment seeks to rebut some of the more popular myths about the origins of jazz, many of which have been accepted as fact, especially following the release of Ken Burns' Jazz documentary. The author makes a convincing case for several new theories about the origins and spread of jazz....Those who want the true history of jazz should definitely jump into this impressive work."
—Booklist
"In this monumental study, Shipton...covers what he believes to be the most significant musical form to emerge during the 20th century. The book delves deeply into all aspects of the music, from boogie-woogie, big bands and bebop to the experiments of the postmodern era. The author's emphasis on jazz as an international phenomenon, even though it originated in the U.S., sets the book apart from other histories, as does his examination of the politicization of this music in the 1960s through organizations such as the Chicago-based Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Black Artists' Group in St. Louis....His observations on style are succinct and evocative...This comprehensive book, with its wealth of information presented in a nontechnical style accessible to the general reader, is a major contribution to the literature of jazz."
—Publishers Weekly
"In this unusually thoughtful and comprehensive history , Shipton, a BBC announcer and a critic for the Times, uncovers and explores a broader spectrum of jazz developments in addition to tackling commonly accepted stereotypes and myths. Things weren't as neat and tidy as previous jazz writers would have you believe. It's accepted as fact, for example, that jazz was born in New Orleans, moved north to Chicago, then east to the Big Apple. Shipton, however, illustrates that there was much more interplay among musicians, that word and note did not spread in any one direction. The author also shatters the creation myth of bebop: it was, he convincingly argues, the work of small bands playing night after night?not the result of after-hour jams, which were open to more or less anyone. Shipton also points out how strongly jazz was grasped by musicians in Europe, the Far East, and Latin America, and the book is worth purchasing for these sections alone (Gary Giddins's Visions of Jazz...failed to investigate this phenomenon). The inclusion of post-late 1950s jazz genres, including free improvisation, are also treated with the respect that they deserve. Highly recommended."—Library Journal, September 15, 2001

"A New History of Jazz is particularly sharp in describing jazz's earliest roots...Shipton's done his homework, and he knows how to tell a story. Don't be put off by the fact that this 976-pager weighs more than Cannonball Adderley."—Blender Magazine

"The author writ[es] extensively and intelligently about jazz from its origins in the nineteenth century to its fragmentation at the end of the twentieth...a penetrating history of the birth, development, and triumph of this most American of art forms."—

"Engrossing... Shipton is excellent on the social context of the music... A New History of Jazz is a massive scholarly achievement and a major addition to the jazz literature." —Jazz Review

"A more useful addition than the second edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Shipton has delved deeply into untapped source material....He also drops the kind of biographical detail that should be in Grove, but isn't." —Independent on Sunday

"If Ken Burns' recent PBS series on jazz left you wanting more, or if you found Mr. Burns' approach too centered on Louis Armstrong, then this massive but easily digestible new work...may fill in a lot of the holes the TV special left behind. In fact, A Ne

"Alyn Shipton's dependable account gives credit to both African American and other musicians who have enjoyed playing jazz well
through the decades...Down Beat magazine has said that this book 'remains the standard-bearer for jazz histories' and is a valuable read for any fan...In summary, I recommend A New History of Jazz (2nd ed.) as appropriate for school libraries, as well as interested readers." - Music Educators Journal (Geary H. Larrick)

About this edition

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0826447546
• ISBN 13: 9780826447548
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 896