Making jazz accessible to everyone, this unparalleled buyer's guide selects the best albums from among 1,255 performers of Dixieland and big band, bebop, scat, fusion, and jazzy pop.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
There is certainly no current dearth of buyer's guides to recorded jazz. The Guide to Classic Recorded Jazz (LJ 3/1/95), The Penguin Guide to Jazz (Penguin, 1996), and Jazz: The Rough Guide (LJ 3/1/96) are now joined by a third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz (LJ 9/1/96. 1st ed.) and Musichound Jazz. These two guides are very similar in content and coverage, with some significant differences in approach. Both consist of biographical entries, ranging in length from a mere paragraph to several pages, followed by discographical listings with some kind of rating system. Musichound covers almost 1300 artists in 1390 pages, while All Music has over 1700 entries in 1378 pages (employing a somewhat smaller font). The biographical entries in both tend to be more in-depth than those found in Jazz: The Rough Guide and cover a much wider range of artists than found in the more conservative Guide to Classic Recorded Jazz. Quite helpful and easy to read, Musichound covers in essay style which recordings to buy first, which to buy next, which to avoid, and which are rare but worth hunting. It also manages to include several artists' birthdates that do not appear elsewhere, giving it added strength as a reference source. All Music presents its listings in chronological order, employing a system of symbols indicating essential collections and recommended first purchases, as well as a rating system. The discussion of each individual recording seems designed to stand on its own, which makes for some repetition. This edition of All Music corrects many of the errors that plagued earlier ones. Both books are recommended; the library that can only obtain one might opt for All Music, since it is more comprehensive, but it would be a very close call.?Michael Colby, Univ. of California, Davis
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While there is much information in this book, it is more of a jazz encyclopedia than a guide. I say this because it does a good job of summarizing the artists - the entries are well written. But, it's a bit weak on the recording reviews. It tends to review only those recordings that are currently available. With the labels re-releasing so many old recordings, you will find that many recent re-releases are not covered. I would prefer a comprehensive list of an artists original releases (as much as possible - at least all of an artist's major releases should be listed, whether they are currently available or not).
The entries should be listed or highlighted with bold text - instead they are burried in the paragraph making quick reference difficult.
Like many guides they are too liberal with the 5 star (they use bones) ratings.
This book covers all forms of jazz including fusion and crossover, a positive for those who want to learn about all types of music related to jazz. Personally, I could do without the Kenny G. reviews.
Even with my reservations, I will admit its a fun book to have and for the price you get much useful information and an accompanying CD with very well chosen titles. -GR4
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one complete and fun to read guide to jazz albums. Very intelligent (but not overly scholarly) biographies and well stated, easy to understand reviews of albums. I have the All Music Guide and Penguin jazz books, but this one is much more accessible and interesting. I especially like the section that lists all of the 5 star albums. Any music lover would be proud to own this hefty book. And it includes a nice Blue Note CD in the back. I heartily recommend this book!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was astounded to find that a good percentage of the jazz albums in my collection aren't even mentioned in this book. With all the re-releases of classic albums of the 40's, 50's and 60's over the last couple of years, this book is sorely behind. At the time of its printing (1998), it took into account only those items in print at that time rather than reflecting the entire catalog of any given artist. Thus, a good number of recordings are completely ignored.
There is some entertaining information here, but it is missing way too many albums to be considered the "Essential Album Guide".
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Updating imminent
It's true that this guide is screaming to be updated, as far as the buyer's guide part goes, but it's really the bios on the musicians that are the strength of this book. Read more
Published on June 1, 2005 by Red Wood
Tome Sweet Tome
I sometimes use this book to check out CDs after I purchase them, but like a lot of the other reviewers I notice plenty of glaring omissions like Mulgrew Miller, a great pianist... Read more
Published on July 26, 2001 by Ahmed Chronwell
brookmeyer bio
I started playing trombone in 1943 (age 13) -- I was with Mel's band in 1980-82--- I PLAYED w. Mulligan's CJB and wrote -- I now line in NH and teach at New England Conservatory,... Read more
Published on December 30, 1999 by robert e. brookmeyer
Solid Jazz Resource
This is a must-have reference book that is of great use to the jazz aficionado. It does have one glaring flaw, though -- not enough coverage of bossa nova and jazz influenced by... Read more
Published on April 8, 1999
EXCELLENT BOOK-MUST BUY FOR ANY JAZZ FAN
As someone who is just discovering the jazz genre, I found it very helpful in pointing me in the right direction as to what makes up a good collection. Read more
Published on January 24, 1999 by Durice@aol.com
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
A fine bop-based saxophonist, Greg Abate is a well-traveled veteran who started recording relatively late in his career. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, New Orleans, Soul Note, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Los Angeles, Warner Bros, Ornette Coleman, Orrin Keepnews, Nancy Ann Lee, Louis Armstrong, Sonny Rollins, Black Saint, Bud Powell, Alfred Lion, Count Basie, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
A fine bop-based saxophonist, Greg Abate is a well-traveled veteran who started recording relatively late in his career. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, New Orleans, Soul Note, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Los Angeles, Warner Bros, Ornette Coleman, Orrin Keepnews, Nancy Ann Lee, Louis Armstrong, Sonny Rollins, Black Saint, Bud Powell, Alfred Lion, Count Basie, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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