First Book Of Jazz (Dark Tower Series) [Paperback]

Langston Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dark Tower Series

"A useful, simplified introduction to the history of jazz and its techniques, with capsule profiles of musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke, all by one of the brightest lights of the Harlem Renaissance and African-American letters". PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. Illustrated throughout by Cliff Roberts' stylized bebop drawings.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hughes wrote this brief paean to jazz in 1955. In it, he discusses the music's history and highlights its greatest heroes as well as its various forms.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) ranks as one of the greatest American poets of the twentieth century.  A landmark figure in the Harlem Renaissance, his work profoundly captures and celebrates the trials and triumphs of his exquisitely drawn characters.  In addition to his poetry, he was also the author of the novels Now Without Laughter and Something in Common, the play Mulatto, and two volumes of autobiography.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Ecco (September 21, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880015527
• ISBN-13: 978-0880015523
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,929,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Young People's Guide to Jazz, May 14, 2001

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First Book Of Jazz (Hardcover)

Langston Hughes, one of our greatest writers and poets, was also a jazz fan. In this slim book , he traces the development of jazz, hitting all the basic elements: African polyrhythmic drumming transported to Congo Square in New Orleans, work songs and slave songs, homemade instruments, spirituals, the blues, ragtime, minstrel shows, improvisation, the spread of jazz to New York and Chicago and the regional bands, the influence of Louis Armstrong.

Sound familiar? It's the first eight hours or so of the Ken Burns' documentary "Jazz," only much briefer and written for youngsters ranging from around ages 4 to 9 or so. Although he ignores all the contributions of early women jazz artists (singers are paid scant attention here), his tone is proudly inclusive ("Of course, people were making music in other parts of our country in early times, too--not just in New Orleans. In New England, settlers were singing their hymns. In Virginia and Kentucky, the newcomers were singing their ballads. In the Far West, the Indians were playing on their drums, African slaves in Georgia, the Carolinas, and other parts of the South, who did not always have drums on which to play, were making up songs to chop cotton to, load the river boats, or build the levees.") and emphasizes the joy of performance and improvisation ("That is how the music called jazz began--with people playing for fun.").

The straightforward narrative, although lacking the "poetic" imagery one might expect, is clear and joyful. This is a excellent introduction for young readers. It is obviously not intended as an jazz encyclopedia, and jazz fans will have to ignore a few of its inherent limitations: The above-mentioned oversight of singers and of women (other than one list of pianists that includes Marion McPartland), the over-generalized portrayal of early jazz musicians as untrained, and limited descriptions of Ellingtonto Jazz, swing, and bebop. (Although, for a book written in 1955 by a non-musician, Hughes mentions Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young). The book includes fun drawings by Cliff Roberts, a brief discography (apparently updated to include Coltrane, Mingus, and Ornette Coleman--but no Miles), a three-page definiton of terms, Hughes' list of his 100 favorite jazz recordings, and a list of "famous jazz musicians" by instrument.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please reissue this book!, June 24, 2000

By 

Hirofumi Takayanagi (Chiba, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Book Of Jazz (Dark Tower Series) (Paperback)

I read this book transrated in Japanese. I could enjoy the rhythm and phrases even in Japanese. I would like to read it in English now.