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Jazz: A History of America s Music
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A masterpiece that brings to life the fascinating story of the quintessential American musicjazz. Visually stunning, with more than five hundred photographs, this companion volume to the acclaimed tenpart PBS TV series is an exploration of the music that celebrates all Americans at their best.Here are the stories of the extraordinary men and women who made the music: Louis Armstrong, the fatherless waif whose unrivaled genius helped turn jazz into a soloist s art and influenced every singer, every instrumentalist who came after him; Duke Ellington, the pampered son of middleclass parents who turned a whole orchestra into his personal instrument, wrote nearly two thousand pieces for it, and captured more of American life than any other composer. Bix Beiderbecke, the doomed cornet prodigy who showed white musicians that they too could make an important contribution to the music; Benny Goodman, the immigrants son who learned the clarinet to help feed his family, but who grew up to teach a whole country how to dance; Billie Holiday, whose distinctive style routinely transformed mediocre music into great art; Charlie Parker, who helped lead a musical revolution, only to destroy himself at thirtyfour; and Miles Davis, whose search for fresh ways to sound made him the most influential jazz musician of his generation, and then led him to abandon jazz altogether. Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Artie Shaw, and Ella Fitzgerald are all here; so are Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and a host of others.But Jazz is more than mere biography. The history of the music echoes the history of twentiethcentury America. Jazz provided the background for the giddy era that F. Scott Fitzgerald called the Jazz Age. The irresistible pulse of bigband swing lifted the spirits and boosted American morale during the Great Depression and World War II. The virtuosic, demanding style called bebop mirrored the steppedup pace and dislocation that came with peace. During the Cold War era, jazz served as a propaganda weaponand forged links with the burgeoning counterculture. The story of jazz encompasses the story of American courtship and show business; the epic growth of great citiesNew Orleans and Chicago, Kansas City and New Yorkand the struggle for civil rights and simple justice that continues into the new millennium.
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This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Q: What is the main subject of 'Jazz: A History of America's Music'? A: The book explores the history of jazz music in America, highlighting the contributions of key figures and the cultural significance of jazz throughout the twentieth century.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The book is authored by Geoffrey C. Ward.
- Q: Is this book suitable for beginners in jazz music? A: Yes, the book is written in an accessible style, making it suitable for both beginners and those with a deeper interest in jazz history.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: The book contains 512 pages.
- Q: What type of binding does the book have? A: This edition of the book is a hardcover binding.
- Q: When was 'Jazz: A History of America's Music' published? A: The book was published on November 7, 2000.
- Q: Are there photographs included in the book? A: Yes, the book features more than five hundred photographs that enhance the storytelling of jazz history.
- Q: Does the book focus solely on musicians, or does it cover broader cultural aspects? A: The book covers both musicians and broader cultural aspects, illustrating how jazz reflects the social and historical context of America.
- Q: What edition of the book is available? A: This is the First Edition of 'Jazz: A History of America's Music'.
- Q: Is this book considered a companion to any television series? A: Yes, it is a companion volume to the ten-part PBS TV series on jazz.