Customer Reviews

Jazz: New Perspectives On The History Of Jazz By Twelve Of The World's Foremost Jazz Critics And Scholars (Da Capo Paperback)

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In their foreword to this book, editors Hentoff and McCarthy point out that it is not intended to be a formal history of jazz, i.e., one that covers all of jazz, but rather one that explores subjects which no previous history has adequately covered. For the most part, the twelve essays commissioned in 1959 specifically for this book are historical in nature and convey factual information relating to musicians' lives and their musical careers, the succession of bands, big and small, in various parts of the country, and significant recordings made by the artists under review.

There is one important exception to this historical viewpoint, however, and it should be noted. As the editors emphasize: "Gunther Schuller's chapter on Duke Ellington ... is the first extended study of Ellington's musical materials and how he works with them." This essay relies on frequent references to musical notation and therefore might be of special interest to trained musicians or those with at least some basic facility in reading musical scores. It is certainly essential reading for any devoted fan of Ellington.

Although the two essays contributed by the editors are worth reading, they are both filled with the authors' opinions on then-current issues and are less concerned with strictly historical material.

The titles of the 14 essays and their authors are as follows:

The Roots of Jazz by Ernest Borneman
New Orleans and Traditions in Jazz by Charles Edwards Smith
Ragtime by Guy Waterman
Jelly Roll Morton by Martin Williams
Blues to Drive the Blues Away by Paul Oliver
Boogie-Woogie by Max Harrison
Chicago by John Steiner
The Spread of Jazz and the Big Bands by Hsio Wen Shih
Kansas City and the Southwest by Franklin S. Driggs
The Ellington Style: Is Origins and Early Development
Charlie Parker by Max Harrison
Bebop and After: A Report by Martin Williams
The Re-Emergence of Traditional Jazz by Albert J. McCarthy
Whose Art Form? Jazz at Mid-Century by Nat Hentoff

Probably every reader will have his favorite essays from this collection, based on personal preferences in jazz music as well as the degree of prior study in the history of jazz. For this reviewer, the essays on Kansas City and the Southwest, boogie-woogie, bebop, and ragtime filled in some noticeable gaps in my basic knowledge of jazz history and thus were most appreciated.

Recommended for those wishing to augment their knowledge of jazz history on selected topics often somewhat neglected in more standard works. And at the extremely low price being advertised for a good used copy, this volume would be a welcome addition to any jazz fan's library.

I am always searching for a new perspective of life. For me jazz is life! This book opened my eyes to a new perspective of jazz. This book has been my guiding light to jazz music and a passage way through life.