Jazz

Innovative, exuberant, controversial jazz has, in its hundred-year existence, found both popular appeal and intellectual appreciation for its emotional intensity and musical sophistication. This invaluable guide covers the whole history of jazz, from its early balancing of African and European influences, through the formative years in New Orleans and Chicago, to the rise of the big bands in New York, be-bop, the postwar proliferation of styles (hard bop, West Coast, cool, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion, crossover), and today's acceptance of jazz as a music that defies conventional categories. Setting jazz in its social and political context, the author looks at the individual talents who shaped this remarkable music, personalities as diverse as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, and Miles Davis. With striking illustrations and a useful glossary, the wide-ranging text provides a thoughtful and comprehensive introduction to the twentieth century's most vibrant music.