Customer Reviews

Swingers and Crooners: The Art of Jazz Singing

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As a lover of jazz, it pains me to be overly criticial of a book about a subject that I love, but I have no choice when it comes to "Swingers and Crooners." Although the book has a fair amount of good information, and even some good insights, it is generally written in a childlike manner--as if it were intended for a pre-teen. Also, as the editorial review suggests, much in the book seems repetitive--as if the author were running out of things to say. Finally, she just makes weird overly simplistic statements in a desperate attempt to make her point. Take this line (while trying to explain why jazz was being overtaken by rock and roll): "[President] Johnson had been in Washington a long time and knew secrets about members of Congress. They did't want to be exposed. So Congress passed civil rights and equal opportunity acts for African-Americans and other minority groups...." Congress passed civil rights legislation merely because they didn't want to "be exposed" by President Johnson?? Surely, it's not that simple. But this book is--sometimes--that simple-minded. Only recommended for kids.