The Guitar in Jazz: An Anthology

by James Sallis (Editor)

The Guitar in Jazz presents in rich, entertaining detail the history and development of the guitar as a jazz instrument. In a series of essays by some of jazz’s leading historians and critics, the volume traces the impressive evolution of jazz guitar playing, from the pioneering styles of Nick Lucas and Eddie Lang through the recent innovations of such contemporary masters as Jim Hall and Ralph Towner. Editor James Sallis has included essays that focus on individual guitarists, including Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and JoePass. Other chapters vividly describe important jazz guitar styles, such as swing guitar and fingerstyle guitar. In all, The Guitar in Jazz provides a full and captivating portrait of the guitar’s place in jazz. The book also offers insights into the larger history of jazz—its development, the social contexts in which the music came into being, and its eventual recognition as "the American classical music." The essays will appeal to guitar players and enthusiasts, and to all jazz lovers.

Genres: Music

220 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

James Sallis (born 21 December 1944 in Helena, Arkansas) is an American crime writer, poet and musician, best known for his series of novels featuring the character Lew Griffin and set in New Orleans, and for his 2005 novel Drive, which was adapted into a 2011 film of the same name.

Reviews

[Loren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of articles about various jazz guitar players rather than a cohesive book. Nice information on the development on guitar duets, but many of the articles are too broad for somebody with more than a basic understanding of the musicians covered. The Richard Lieberson essays standout. The rest are solidly written articles, and the Nick Lucas section is a charming bit of history. Book of interest to jazz guitar enthusiasts only, with the focus on older jazz.