New History of Jazz (Bayou) [Hardcover]

Alyn Shipton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bayou | Publication Date: September 2001

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this monumental study, Shipton (Groovin' High), who presents jazz programs for the BBC, 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. Coltrane, Mingus and Ornette Coleman receive special attention, but Shipton doesn't concentrate on superstars, and these are only a few among the multitude of musicians he discusses. His observations on style are succinct and evocative: Ben Webster's saxophone playing has "the slightly sinister feeling that violence might erupt any moment"; the "tremendous press-roll" of Art Blakey's drumming hauls "players from one chorus to the next with unfettered power." Throughout, Shipton stresses the importance of the recording industry, which early on helped spread the form to young musicians beyond the big centers of New Orleans, Chicago and New York, and has facilitated communication between jazz musicians. 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. 100 b&w photos not seen by PW.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

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, LJ 8/98, 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 for all libraries. (Index and bibliography not seen.) [Columbia Records will release the two-CD set, Jazz, the Definitive Performances, as a tie-in with this book. Ed.] William G. Kenz, Minnesota State Univ., Moorhea.
- William G. Kenz, Minnesota State Univ., Moorhead
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 896 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826447546
• ISBN-13: 978-0826447548
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,056,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alyn Shipton is the author of several award winning books on music including A New History of Jazz, I Feel a Song Coming On (a biography of songwriter Jimmy McHugh) and Groovin' High: the Life of Dizzy Gillespie. He is jazz critic for The Times in London and has presented jazz programs on BBC radio since 1989. In 2010 he was voted Jazz Broadcaster of the Year in the UK Parliamentary Jazz Awards. He is also an accomplished double bassist, having played with many traditional and mainstream jazz bands, and he lectures in jazz history at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review published..., August 9, 2002

By 

jempi (denderleeuw Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New History of Jazz (Bayou) (Hardcover)

a new history of JAZZ - Alyn Shipton

Continuum - London - New York

Let me put it straight right away : this is a great book and should be in every true jazz lover's library. This book tells you so much about our music that it leaves nearly every history on jazz ever written far behind. Not only it contains a lot of details on the musicians and the music, it is written in such a way it makes you eager to go out looking for the music it talks about. By the way there is a doubble CD that goes with this book containing examples of the music described in the book.

The man behind this book is bass player, researcher, writer, radio man, etc Alyn Shipton. Alyn played bass with a lot of well known English bands over the years. He recorded a.o. with Butch Thompson's King Oliver Centennial Band, was a member of The London Ragtime Orchestra, appeared many times at the Ascona Festival a.o. with Dan Pawson's band, King Oliver Centennial, Bob Wilber and Friends, etc. During the Ascona festivals, Alyn led many symposia on all aspects of jazz.and he also talked to many of the old time musicians he played with and he visited. So Alyn knows what he is talking about.

The "new history of jazz" starts way back before even the word jazz was invented. Alyn goes back to the plantation and slavery days, and he tries to reconstruct the musical live in those days, based on original documents and scientific studies, which where published over the years. There was a rich musical tradition of string bands in many parts of the Southern states. Like many authors, Alyn sees the birth of jazz in and around New Orleans, a city with a very rich musical tradition and past, and most of all a rich social live. You can follow the evolution of and sometimes revolution in the music from there on to the present funk, fusion and otherwhat else. Alyn also takes the time to stand still at the development of jazz music in other countries than the US. I was happily surprised to read his instalment on jazz in Belgium during the twenties and thirties.

Scholars should use Alyn's book to explain their pupils the evolution of music, starting from the present day and go back to the origins of popular music. This way they might give the youngsters a clear view on the origins of the music. This book explains in clear and simple terms the links that exsist between the different styles of jazz, links one has not always seen nor thought off. Chapter after chapter Alyn strips the music from its romantic and sometimes false myths. Each step he makes, he uses sources, both old and so far undiscovered, or overlooked, to make his point. He not only talked to numerous musicians, but he also consulted a lot of books and articles, not only in relation with jazz, but also with the history of the South and the Afro-American community and American history in general. He also uses his background as an accomplished musician to describe in a clear and comprehensive language the changes in the music, the playing of the musicians,etc

Alyn Shipton's book, "a new history of Jazz" is by far the best book I ever read about jazz and it brings a refreshing and new view on this American art form.

Jempi De Donder

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very enjoyable and informative, April 2, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: New History of Jazz (Bayou) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent history of jazz. Shipton successfully balances his scholarship with a style that is very readable, even for a layperson. I would recommend getting the Columbia/Legacy 2 CD set "Jazz: The Definitive Collection" since Shipton refers directly to tracks from this compilation throughout the book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The antidote to Ken Burns Jazz, February 10, 2003

By 

"larrydanekellogg" (Savannah, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New History of Jazz (Bayou) (Hardcover)

Jazz is arguably the most important music of the 20th century. But, as significant as jazz is, its history, like the music itself, is an inexact art. In his book, A New History of Jazz, Alyn Shipton challenges the conventional assertions about the development and spread of Jazz, delving deep into the annals of available documented history to provide substance to his treatise. What is known about jazz is that the African-American culture is interwoven throughout the music's derivation and subsequent worldwide proliferation. After this, things get a little less definite.
Lester Bowie (Art Ensemble of Chicago) once asked: "Is Jazz Dead, Yet?" He eloquently answered his own question by saying that although jazz has changed over the years, sometimes radically, the music has survived by virtue of its ability to change, adapting by taking on elements of newly discovered musical concepts. What was once jazz is different now and will continue to change in the future. In other words, in oxymoronic fashion, jazz is dead-- but thriving. Likewise, the uncertain origins of what became "jazz," at this point in history, are fluid and will continue to change as more information is added to the mix.

This newest attempt to uncover the beginnings of jazz has been unflinchingly billed as "The antidote to Ken Burns' Jazz," the PBS ten part series which garnered a great deal of attention in early 2001. The author's desire to go head to head with the most popular presentation of jazz in many years is good for him and good for jazz. Much like Miles Davis' belief that controversy brings attention to the music and gets more people listening--a debate on the details of when, where and how jazz began will accomplish this same goal. Unfortunately, at almost a thousand pages, only the most ardent jazz fan will take advantage of this well written, well-documented history of Jazz.

Mr. Shipton approaches this subject as a jazz historian. Professionally, he is a critic for The Times in London and presents jazz radio programs for the BBC network. It seems that almost any assertion presented in the book is painstakingly footnoted at least once. Admittedly though, since the evolution and spread of early jazz was something that occurred over many years (and it seems many places), the "facts' are sometime imprecise and the same events are often interpreted differently by those observing it. The birth of jazz, like other historical events relies on music, memory and early personal chronicles from inside and outside the circle of the events themselves. In these ambiguous situations, Mr. Shipton lays out his evidence and allows the reader to learn the different possibilities that may or may not lead to a definitive conclusion.

I invite you to get on this historical roller coaster that is jazz: The beginnings, the middle and the present are all included here for your consideration. Also, keep in mind the Columbia/Epic/Legacy two-CD collection "Jazz, the Definitive Performances," which is billed as an accompaniment to the Book. It begins with the 1917 recording of (Back Home Again In) Indiana by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and ends with Wynton Marsalis' Freedom Is In The Trying (1995). And, of course, like the book, there is a lot in the middle

Larry Dane-Kellogg is host of JazzCapades, a radio program on WHCJ in Savannah, GA