Synopses & Reviews
The essential companion for every jazz fan. As varied and vibrant as the music itself, Jazz is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the world of jazz -- its fascinating history, key instruments and techniques, influential musicians, and landmark recordings. The history, music, and musicians. Through a series of unique timecharts that show, year by year, the key persons, places, and events of jazz history, Jazz traces the evolution of the music from its origins in Africa and the South through the present -- and into the future. The greatest musicians of the last century come to life in engaging biographical collection of jazz artifacts and personal memorabilia from Louis Armstrong's cornet to Art Blakey's drumsticks. Instrument and techniques. Jazz goes beyond the who, what, and where to explore the how and why of the music. Sections on instruments and techniques use chose-up photographs to reveal the intricate workmanship of jazz instruments, while contemporary artists demonstrate the secrets of jazz technique and musical quotations explore the harmonics and rhythms that underpin different jazz styles. The classic recordings. Jazz also features a definitive guide to the top 250 classic jazz recordings, arranged by schools of jazz. Critical appraisals accompany each album, along with details of tracks, musicians, and a photograph of the cover. Wit hits combination of unrivaled visual coverage, and a text by noted jazz critic John Fordham, Jazz is the essential reference for beginners and buffs alike.
About the Author
John Fordham is an author, critic, and broadcaster who has written about jazz for nearly twenty years. A columnist and regular contributor to several international music magazines, he is the author of The Sound of Jazz, an illustrated jazz history; Let's Join Hands and Contact the Living, a biography of legendary saxophonist and club owner Ronnie Scott; and, most recently, Jazz on CD, a critical survey of jazz releases on compact disc. In addition to his writing career, Fordham is active in both radio and television. He regularly presents jazz items on the BBC radio arts program Kaleidoscope, and recently completed a six-part series on jazz for British and American television. Sonny Rollins is widely regarded as the greatest living jazz saxophonist. Since the late 40s, he has performed with jazz giants including Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Max Roach, and plays to packed houses, of listeners young and old, all over the world.