"Bob Blumenthal has been an excellent and principled jazz writer for many years. I respect his views and I recommend his new book." -- Sonny Rollins
The supreme illustrated guide to every aspect of jazz and jazz culture
If you've heard of the Cotton Club, but you're not quite a "hep cat" yet, this is the perfect introduction to jazz, complete with a detailed history of the genre, features on the legendary artists, and everything else one needs to become a jazz connoisseur. From the music's beginnings and the cities where it all started to the artists and independent record labels that spread it around the world, Jazz shows how the musical style evolved into a major contribution to the cultural world, and includes:
- Breakdowns of key elements--improvisation, blues, swing, solos, and interplay
- In-depth accounts of musicians from Duke Ellington to Dizzy Gillespie
- History of the various eras and their development
- Jazz dictionary and slang usages
About the Author :
Former Boston Globe columnist Bob Blumenthal has been writing jazz criticism since 1969 and has contributed to numerous publications. He has received Grammy Awards for Best Album Notes and the Jazz Journalists Association's Excellence in Newspaper, Magazine, or Online Feature or Review Writing Award and Jazz Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award.
Review :
"Bob Blumenthal has been an excellent and principled jazz writer for many years. I respect his views and I recommend his new book." - Sonny Rollins, living jazz legend
"Bob Blumenthal has long practiced jazz criticism with a sense of empathy for the musicians and their musical intent. He is one of the few critics whom I would consider an authority on the subject." - Branford Marsalis, genre-spanning saxophonist
"...The single best compact introduction to jazz currently available...engaging, clearly written prose, accompanied by handsome illustrations and a short but useful glossary. Blumenthal's "Jazz" is the ideal starting point for anyone drawn to the music for the first time." - John E. Hasse for The Wall Street Journal
