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First Book Of Jazz (Dark Tower Series) Paperback – September 21, 1997

by Langston Hughes (Author)

6 customer reviews

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$620.38

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"A useful, simplified introduction to the history of jazz and its techniques, with capsule profiles of musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke, all by one of the brightest lights of the Harlem Renaissance and African-American letters". PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. Illustrated throughout by Cliff Roberts' stylized bebop drawings.

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Product Details

Series: Dark Tower Series
Paperback: 88 pages
Publisher: Ecco; First Edition edition (September 21, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0880015527
ISBN-13: 978-0880015523
Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,014,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #275210 in Books > Children's Books

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Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

5 star		66%
4 star		17%
3 star		17%
2 star		0%
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Young People's Guide to Jazz

By M. Allen Greenbaum HALL OF FAMEVINE VOICE on May 14, 2001

Format: Hardcover

Langston Hughes, one of our greatest writers and poets, was also a jazz fan. In this slim book , he traces the development of jazz, hitting all the basic elements: African polyrhythmic drumming transported to Congo Square in New Orleans, work songs and slave songs, homemade instruments, spirituals, the blues, ragtime, minstrel shows, improvisation, the spread of jazz to New York and Chicago and the regional bands, the influence of Louis Armstrong.
Sound familiar? It's the first eight hours or so of the Ken Burns' documentary "Jazz," only much briefer and written for youngsters ranging from around ages 4 to 9 or so. Although he ignores all the contributions of early women jazz artists (singers are paid scant attention here), his tone is proudly inclusive ("Of course, people were making music in other parts of our country in early times, too--not just in New Orleans. In New England, settlers were singing their hymns. In Virginia and Kentucky, the newcomers were singing their ballads. In the Far West, the Indians were playing on their drums, African slaves in Georgia, the Carolinas, and other parts of the South, who did not always have drums on which to play, were making up songs to chop cotton to, load the river boats, or build the levees.") and emphasizes the joy of performance and improvisation ("That is how the music called jazz began--with people playing for fun.").
The straightforward narrative, although lacking the "poetic" imagery one might expect, is clear and joyful. This is a excellent introduction for young readers.Read more ›

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

good deal

By Kathy on December 14, 2012

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

Fast service. For a book so old, it was in really good shape and a hard to find item. My son loved it..

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Good fundamental explanation of jazz...

By jackie on January 14, 2014

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

Had this book when I was small- so glad to have it again, many years later-great to have it to share with today's children.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Five Stars

Great book, not so easy to be found and in very good conditions. I just love it :D

Published 5 months ago by sarai

The price I paid was too high

Currently I live in Germany and the price of this item here was exagerated, so I decided to pay the taxes of shipping and handling from the US. Read more

Published on October 7, 2012 by nnise

Please reissue this book!

I read this book transrated in Japanese. I could enjoy the rhythm and phrases even in Japanese. I would like to read it in English now.

Published on June 24, 2000 by Hirofumi Takayanagi