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Early Jazz: Its Roots and Musical Development (The History of Jazz) Paperback – June 19, 1986

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Gunther Schuller (Author)
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4.9 out of 5 stars 13 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Series: The History of Jazz (Book 1)
  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press; Revised ed. edition (June 19, 1986)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0195040430
  • ISBN-13: 978-0195040432
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.8 x 5.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe best musical examination of 20s jazz
By Robert James on August 13, 2000
Format: Paperback
Jazz criticism tends to run in two groups: one, the biographical/anecdotal (often marvelous to read), and two, word pictures of how the music made the writer feel (often awful to read). Gunther Schuller's "Early Jazz" does what any undergraduate musicology major would do: examine the music note by note, and explain what's going on. While this is not an easy book to read for people like me who have no musical training (or talent, for that matter), it is an absolutely essential book nonetheless. Schuller goes through each major musician and movement of the twenties, and shows exactly what is occurring. What worked best for me was to have the recording he was discussing playing while I read, so I could hear what he was talking about. Anybody in love with the early music of Armstrong or Ellington needs to tackle this book sooner or later.
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5.0 out of 5 starsAn American Heritage.
By Peter Stöve, arranger, conductor of "the Beau Hunks" orchestra (check our CD's at amazon.com) and the Dutch production of 'Annie". on May 11, 2000
Format: Paperback
I can't believe that no-one has reviewed this wonderful book until now. It is one of the cornerstones of jazz criticism, and the first one not written by one of these annoying pipe-smoking, foot-tapping listeners you always notice sitting at tables beside the bandstand at jazzclubs, but by a very fine musician who has actually been 'one of the cats'. O.K., he is a French horn-player, but jazz buffs who are 'in the know' with the work of Julius Watkins and John Graas won't mind. But seriously: His chapters on Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton (some thirty years before the Dirty Dozen Brass Band decided to dedicate a whole CD to the music of this first truly 'jazz composer'), but especially Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington will enlighten everyone who is looking for a critical assesment of the music and is tired of the endless re-telling of the phoney 'romantic' stories surrounding this music. And for the people who think they know about everything: One chapter is enirely dedicated to what is known as 'territory' bands, the bands that only played their home town and the region around it. Many a gem of inspired music can be unearthed in this chapter. P.S. O.K., I'm biased. Mr. Schuller autographed my hardcover copy of the book when he was conducting the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra, and I gatecrashed at a rehearsal.
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5.0 out of 5 starsProbably
By John H. Borders on February 4, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
... one of the GREATEST books about jazz, ever written. Gunther uses musical examples and notations ... and text that is NOT esoteric, nor difficult to understand ... to describe his views/overview of how jazz evolved from certain sources, into a MORE-formative way and transformation! In every page, there's probably LITTLE (or nothing) to argue about his sources and conclusions ... as he traces the evolution of one of the GREATest musics, and the innovations of Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, James "Reese" Europe, James P. Johnson and EVERY part of those who FOUNDED the groundwork and development (using ragtime, blues, etc.) of an extraordinary period of American music and originators. ... If there's a "better" work of scholarship AND relationship, to the music, itself ... some of us would LIKE to know about it.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFabulous in-depth look at Jazz' early development
By Priscilla Stilwell on August 2, 2008
Format: Paperback
Hardly a stone is left unturned in this look into the early development of jazz. It provides a thorough introduction to a wide range of subjects and artists, carefully reviewing each of numerous recordings.

This is not a biographical account of the lives of the early jazz artists, but is an analysis of the styles and development. From the deep south and the roots of the music, into the Midwest and Southwestern styles, the author is thorough and careful in his look.

Much more than an introduction, this certainly would be suitable for a college course in jazz development.
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5.0 out of 5 starsSchuller's clarity and passion make "Early Jazz" the most accessible and valuable single book about jazz.
By Giuseppe C. HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on July 5, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
2014 sees the publication of yet another definitive study of the life, music and influence of Louis Armstrong ("Master of Modernism," by Thomas Brothers). While it's encouraging to see that Louis' flame still burns brightly (even if among a diminishing circle of the enlightened), the unrestrained, hyperbolic blurbs on behalf of the most recent study of Armstrong (e.g. "Astonishingly, this is the first close historical examination of Armstrong's formative years"; "a monumental achievement"; "Brothers remains Armstrong's finest interpreter and chronicler") surely must strain the credulity of anyone who has read the similar accounts by Gary Giddins, Terry Teachout and, most of all, Gunther Schuller's incontrovertible "proofs" of the lavish claims on Armstrong's behalf in his challenging but revelatory, if not indispensable, "Early Jazz."

It was after first reading Schuller's analysis of Louis' solo on "Big Butter and Egg Man" and then reading it again--except with the WAV audio file in my ear and the pause control by my finger--that I fully began to understand and embrace the melodic-rhythmic-harmonic genius of Louis Armstrong. Schuller writes like a man possessed of superhuman energies that refuse to be restrained until the ultimate prize has been attained: the full and accurate yet utterly compelling representation of the beauty of an historic musical moment that would otherwise be lost to posterity or, at best, ground into the mill of generality or, worse, of mere opinion and rumor. (I have as yet to read Schuiller's succeeding book, "The Swing Era," an erudite and overwhelming tome which, when seen alongside the accessible "Early Jazz," can be a withering experience to the general reader--like James Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake" when compared with his "Ulysess.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat service, Fast delivery

Great service , Fast delivery , product as advertised, fantastic book from expert author. Can't go wrong with anything done by Schuller.

Published 12 days ago by Michael Bravin
5.0 out of 5 starsHappy

Book is in great condition, paper cover is old and very used but the book is in great condition!
I'm happy, the paper cover doesn't bother me at all.

Published 20 months ago by Marti Petersen
5.0 out of 5 starsAs it was, while living in between of it.

I really appreciate the book, and also for it's content, as a jazz musician.
As it was, while living in between of it.

Published on November 12, 2013 by Aldo De Smedt
5.0 out of 5 starsThorough

This is a very thorough and well-researched history of early jazz. A must have for jazz history buffs. Well written.

Published on August 25, 2013 by L. Thibault
5.0 out of 5 starsA great reference for lovers and scholars

This book is a great reference for lovers and scholars of this great music. As I see it Mr. Schuller is the great apostle of XXth century music. Read more

Published on February 18, 2012 by Paulo Perfeito
5.0 out of 5 starsLove of music is the only prerequisite

You don't have to be a musician, you just have love music to get something from this book. You don't even have to love jazz, but if you want to know where it all started and how... Read more

Published on October 18, 2011 by M. R. Mosher
4.0 out of 5 starsunderstanding jazz

the author gunther does a magnifent job of affording a history of the evolution of jazz, this in a most scholarly fashion. Read more

Published on November 1, 2007 by Ivan Livingstone
5.0 out of 5 starsessential reference

You can argue with Schuller, and in fact, that's half the fun. He's not always right, but he's always interesting. Read more

Published on July 9, 2006 by Nina Shishkoff

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