The Cambridge Companion to Jazz

by Mervyn Cooke (Editor), David Horn (Editor)

The vibrant world of jazz may be viewed from many angles, from social and cultural history to music analysis, from economics to ethnography. It is challenging and exciting territory. This volume of nineteen specially commissioned essays offers informed and accessible guidance to the challenge, taking the reader through a series of five basic subject areas--locating jazz historically and geographically; defining jazz as musical and cultural practice; jazz in performance; the uses of jazz for audiences, markets, education and for other art forms; and the study of jazz.

Genres: Music, Jazz

426 pages, Hardcover

First published January 9, 2003

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume of the Cambridge Companions was surprisingly disappointing. The first part was especially so, being mostly a bunch of overly-intellectualized twaddle that seemed very concerned with establishing the importance and ascendancy of Europe in the jazz world. This was particularly unpleasant to read after the events of 2020. There were some good chapters, notably those on improvisation, the avant-garde, and the valuing of jazz. However, there are much better books to read about jazz.

[Palmyrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This anthology of writing about jazz is a mixed bag. Part II, about the 'practice of jazz', is pretty good. So is Part III, which is about post-bop developments in jazz.

Part I is mostly bad, full of postmodernist gibberish and not in the least useful, intelligent or pleasurable to read. The essay by Bruce Johnson is particularly obnoxious. There are one or two good articles each in Parts IV and V, especially the one about marketing.

If you're the kind of highbrow who thinks jazz is some kind of brain music to be appreciated sitting down, you will probably think this a good book. If you are a real music lover (or still worse, an actual musician), you will find it interesting here and there but hate most of it, just as I did.