Customer Reviews

Jazz in American Culture (American Ways Series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had to read this book for a school research paper. My thesis was to show that the state of society greatly influenced the sounds of Jazz. This book was exactly what I needed to read. It clearly explains the topic that I needed to research. This book is written in English clear enough for even Junior High students to read. I found it interesting and enjoyable. I used to think that I hated anything to do with Jazz, but this book really shows the reader how much of the music Americans like actually evolved from jazz(ex. swing, beebop). This is a good book for jazz lovers, jazz researchers and basically anyone who wants to learn more about the only music which tells the tale of America's stuggles

Burton Peretti's "Jazz in American Culture" does precisely what it set out it do. It adeptly examines how jazz music has related to American culture and society throughout various stages of its development. Peretti offers fascinating insight onto jazz as an expression of 1920s subculture, its role in the Civil Rights movement, and other ways that jazz has both influenced and reflected American culture in the 20th century. This is not exactly a "jazz history" per se; it is more of a cultural analysis, and it examines jazz from a perspective that is worthy of more attention from both musicologists and historians. "Jazz in American Culture" does not demand a thorough understanding of jazz history as a prerequisite, nor is it redundant to readers who already have such background knowledge. It would make an excellent companion piece to more traditional jazz histories such as Ted Gioia's "History of Jazz" and Gunther Schuller's "Early Jazz" and "The Swing Era," adding its insightful social and cultural perspectives to the study of jazz history. Overall, "Jazz in American Culture" is extremely readable, and very informative. Its topic can certainly be explored in greater depth, but Peretti's book is a concise overview of a complex and still emerging area of study.

Jazz in American Culture was the first book I purchased in hopes of developing a background of jazz music and artists -- and how it related to our culture.

The book has an excellent outline of the history of jazz in the US with brief portions about many influential artists; major occurances in our jazz history; and the different styles of jazz (and what critics thought of them).

Although it wasn't a book that I started and couldn't put down, it was still good and worth a read.

I can't really rate this item because I have not received it yet. The first book I received in the mail was not the correct one.