How to Listen to Jazz

An Economist Best Book of the Year 

An acclaimed music scholar presents an accessible introduction to the art of listening to jazz. 

“Mr. Gioia could not have done a better job. Through him, jazz might even find new devotees.” ―Economist 

In How to Listen to Jazz, award-winning music scholar Ted Gioia presents a lively introduction to one of America's premier art forms. He tells us what to listen for in a performance and includes a guide to today’s leading jazz musicians. From Louis Armstrong’s innovative sounds to the jazz-rock fusion of Miles Davis, Gioia covers the music's history and reveals the building blocks of improvisation. 

A true love letter to jazz by a foremost expert, How to Listen to Jazz is a must-read for anyone who's ever wanted to understand and better appreciate America's greatest contribution to music. 

“How to Listen to Jazz fills an important and obvious gap by offering a sensible and jargon-free introduction to what Gioia calls ‘the most joyous sound invented during the entire course of twentieth-century music.’” ―Washington Post
 

Ted Gioia is a music historian and the author of twelve books, including Music. His three previous books on the social history of music―Work Songs, Healing Songs, and Love Songs―have each been honored with the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award.