Early Jazz: Its Roots and Musical Development

by Gunther Schuller

Early Jazz is one of the seminal books on American jazz, ranging from the beginnings of jazz as a distinct musical style at the turn of the century to its first great flowering in the 1930s. Schuller explores the music of the great jazz soloists of the twenties--Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and others--and the big bands and arrangers--Fletcher Henderson, Bennie Moten, and especially Duke Ellington--placing their music in the context of the other musical cultures of the twentieth century and offering analyses of many great jazz recordings.
Early Jazz provides a musical tour of the early American jazz world. A classic study, it is both a splendid introduction for students and an insightful guide for scholars, musicians, and jazz aficionados.

Genres: Music, Jazz, Nonfiction, History, 20th Century

416 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1968

Reviews

[L.A. Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gunther Schuller’s "Early Jazz" is a landmark work in jazz scholarship, offering an in-depth examination of the genre’s formative years. Schuller’s expertise in music theory and history is evident in his detailed analysis of early jazz styles and their origins. The book’s methodical approach provides valuable insights into the musical and cultural influences that shaped jazz. However, its technical nature might be challenging for casual readers who are less familiar with music theory. For serious students and enthusiasts of jazz, Schuller’s work remains an essential text for understanding the intricate development of early jazz.

Early Jazz: Its Roots and Musical Development

L.A.Review

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for the serious jazz fan. Rich in musical theory and history of the early players. And a theoretical description of swing? Yes please.

I would call it more geared to the serious fan, not really a casual read for someone with only a passing interest.

It's really a shame that the second volume was never completed, but getting the roots is the main thing.

[Piero C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha sido una lectura bastante extensiva, por momentos demasiado, pudiendo suprimir muchas de las hojas y quedar la obra completa para el lector casual.
Este libro está escrito más como para músicos que entienden y leen partituras de música.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunther Schuller presents a thorough musical analysis of the early history of jazz, from starting with its roots in west African music, ragtime, and the country blues. The bulk of the book covers the 1920's, ending with the start of the 1930's as the last rough edges of New Orleans jazz have been smoothed and the orchestras of Ellington and Basie perfected the big-band swing style. It must be emphasized that this is a musical analysis, heavy with notated examples from the recordings of the era, and thus would not be accessible to those without some musical training. Schuller truly analyzes the music on every single level, illustrated examples range from the "shape" of a single note to the structure of an entire piece and covering all scales in between. While of course no two people have the same taste in music, Schuller does an excellent job of highlighting the best pieces from the important musicians of the time; even the best musicians in the 1920's were forced to record a lot of bland pop and corny vaudeville/minstrel music, so it's quite useful to have a guide to help sift the gems from the duds.
There are a few complaints to be had. There are certainly errors in some of the transcriptions, though this is to be expected in transcribing by ear such complex music. Additionally, I thought the organization of the book could have been a little better; for example he analyzes Louis Armstrong's Hot Five period in great detail early on in the book, and discusses how this music marked the end of the dominance of the New Orleans style in jazz. Yet the very next chapter is focused on Jelly Roll Morton, whose career consisted of nothing but the New Orleans style! That being said, there is a lot of music to be covered in this book and there is likely no perfect way to organize all of the material.
A few faults aside, this is absolutely essential reading for anyone with musical background looking to learn about the roots of jazz.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Timbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many historical accounts of the early days of jazz, but never one from the musicological perspective. At times, the musical theory was a bit beyond me, but Schuller's obvious love for the material and even-handed treatment kept me from getting too lost in the weeds. This was evidently meant to be volume one of a larger work, but I can't find any evidence that volume 2 was ever published.

[James Murrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive description of early jazz music. Within the first chapter Mr. Schuller explains the feel of swing rhythm in vivid detail beyond what I've ever read in any other book. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of American music or any fan of Jazz that wants to explore the music beyond just listening.
Peace,
James Murrell
http://www.jamesmurrellgtr.com

[Pepe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un privilegio ascoltare su youtube i brani citati e spiegati nel saggio - per un ascoltatore dilettante come me si rendono comprensibili e si contestualizzano suoni e intrecci che prima sentivo senza coglierne appieno il significato e la novità. Ottima la prima parte con una veloce e approfondito excursus sulle origini del jazz.

[Paul Secor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you don't agree with everything Mr. Schuller writes, he'll give you a lot to think about - and that's a good thing.