Explore the essence of jazz from its early roots, to the years of swing and Satchmo, to ragtime and beyond. In Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music, renowned jazz writer Bob Blumenthal offers a perfect introduction to understanding jazz, whether you are approaching the music for the first time or seeking to deepen your knowledge. Inside you will find the people who made the music, history, listening suggestions, jazz trivia, and more. Can you dig it?
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
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 )
“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 )
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.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Essential Guide for Both Jazz Lovers and Those New to the Genre,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music (Paperback)
Back in 1960, my friend Steve Thomas and I shared a dog-eared paperback edition of "The Story of Jazz," by Marshall Stearns [Oxford University Press, New York, 1956], passing it back and forth between our freshman high school classes. We spent Saturday afternoons at Sol Kessler's record store, listening to LPs (and sometimes buying them), riding city buses to and from home, quoting Stearns and comparing the tone of Goodman's clarinet with Shaw's, Herman's, and Giuffre's.
While our classmates were twisting to Chubby Checker or singing along to the Argyles' "Alley-Oop," we two, young, Central Pennsylvania music nerds were dissecting Brubeck's "Jazz Impressions Of Eurasia." Absorbing the music was the central feature of our jazz education, but Stearns' history was our indispensable textbook. Perspectives developed in those impressionable times - ones that have dramatically affected our subsequent lives - were fed by both the jazz and the words. I was flooded with such memories as I read Bob Blumenthal's brilliant new book, "Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music" [Smithsonian, 2007, 192 pgs]. Jazzier than Stearns' classic text, Blumenthal's is a genre prologue suited to our times: rich in photos, links, references, and lists of essential music, organized by era. Smartly written by a Grammy Award winning author of album notes, the narrative is positively infectious. It drills deeply enough to interest long-time fans while providing newcomers with everything essential to start their journey. My own fascination with this incredible music remains intense nearly 50 years after first carving up Stearns' jazz bible with my friend (who is now a composer and performer). I suspect that there are thousands of young people today who will find Blumenthal's "Jazz ... Introduction" just as vital to their own musical educations as we did that old 1950s paperback. I would encourage parents of teenagers to think about seeding such a process by giving this exceptional Smithsonian guide as a gift. (And, while you're at it, buy a copy for yourself. It's really that good.)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Concise Jazz History,
By Sherman L. Dantzler "JazzeOne Production" (Grand Blanc, MI United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music (Paperback)
As owner of JazzeOne Production we provide a lot of information about the Jazz genre. Bob's collection is one of the most concise books about the Jazz movement. While it does not tell you everything, it does tell you enough to perk your interest in this style of music. Whether you are an enthusiast, Jazz-o-phile or curious beginner, you will enjoy what you learn from reading this book! ~the JazzeOne
3.0 out of 5 stars
Superficial Jazz Overview,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music (Paperback)
Blumenthal's "Jazz" is as its subtitle states, "an introduction to the history and legends of America's music." It is a very broad sweep, mentioning as many names as seems to be possible from the beginnings of the 20th century to a contemporary point where this reviewer has difficulty relating the music with the term "jazz." It is useful as a vehicle to point one to further reading and research on a musician (e.g., Biederbick) or music (e.g., Fusion). It's not a poor book, being well written, but it's just (barely) an introduction. For a more in depth overview, "The JazzBook" by Joachim Berendt contains more substance.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Search Customer Discussions
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
