Jazz is the most colorful and varied art form in the world and it was born in one of the most colorful and varied cities, New Orleans. From the see...
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reviews
Jul 29, 2007
Frank
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This book helped me consolidate my understanding of the development of jazz. The book strikes a good balance between breadth and depth. Keep your iPod handy while reading.
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Mar 04, 2009
Jason
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A nice overview of America's most important contribution to the arts. The book is a rather comprehensive survey, so few readers will love every period and movement covered. (I personally felt like the Swing Era would never end.) But it's always difficult, in any survey, to allocate attention in a way that will satisfy everyone. Gioia basically allocates time chronologically, getting to bop halfway through the book. I would have liked to spend more time on the latter half of the century myse
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Jul 27, 2010
Meagan
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This history is written with powerful narrative and composes a picture of the history of jazz not simply as facts and details, but rather as a compelling arc of a music and a lifestyle that transformed American culture. Gioia superbly shows how jazz was reflective of American culture, but, perhaps more importantly, how jazz acted as an impetus, driving the culture in new directions. Additionally, this history helps readers keep jazz artists and movements straight, thus serving as both an excelle
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Dec 04, 2008
Tony
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There are lots and lots and LOTS of books about jazz, its history, its players. This is THE best history I've read on the subject. It's readable, enjoyable, informative, and full of the best stuff I've found. You want to read one book about jazz? Try this one.
Mar 24, 2010
Tom
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Many people will have certain quibbles with the book (particularly in the more "modern" sections), but it's as as good as one could hope for from a summary of modest length. I like Gioia's jazz writing, and am particularly fond of his West Coast Jazz.
Apr 05, 2010
Rob
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If you want to understand the development of each idiom, and the key movers and shakers in the emergence of the periods of this great music, I recommend Gioia's book.
Nov 16, 2007
Jordan
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I particularly enjoyed the first few chapters of this book. It may be that they are better for the lack of source material from the time period. The author feels free to visualize early jazz history as we vaguely understand it to have occurred. He writes a nuanced history that shies from cliche historical labels. This book may not be for the uninitiated in the jazz world, and even for the initiated it bogs down in latter chapters in details, and lists of album titles. For a book its size, i
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Jan 14, 2012
Simon
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This book is certainly a must for anyone interested in jazz. The author does an amazing job of being complete and thorough while also managing to entertain and generally maintaining a high level of readability.
Mar 20, 2011
Troy
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This is the best book on any type of music that I've ever read. It so well written, and the narrative flows so smoothly, that I hated to keep stopping to listen to the recordings that Gioia cites. So I read it slowly at first, stopping frequently to hear the music he discussed, then read it again to enjoy his prose. Gioia provides an excellent overview of jazz, including its history, the musicians, the cultural context in which jazz developed, and the differences in musical structure and conv
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Mar 01, 2007
amy
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I picked up this book to learn about jazz, in a more compact and manageable way than buying albums or downloading decades' worth of mp3s, but it seems music is best learned by listening after all. It's a comprehensive and enjoyable read, but probably much better with a jazz fan background.
Jan 15, 2008
For a single volume history this can't be beat. Gioia is very smart and a talented writer to boot. His comments on modern jazz are especially insightful (though he doesn't/can't cover everyone). It also includes a good discography.
Sep 18, 2007
Nathan
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A concise and elegantly written book on a subject every American ought to know about and music that we all ought to enjoy more of.
Sep 20, 2011
Dave
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A well written history on Jazz music and it's culture. It's a good read for the Jazz lovers.
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