Jazz : A History of America's Music by Ken Burns and Geoffrey C. Ward (2000, Hardcover)

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Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Artie Shaw, and Ella Fitzgerald are all here; so are Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and a host of others.

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Product Identifiers

PublisherKnopf Doubleday Publishing Group
ISBN-10067944551X
ISBN-139780679445517
eBay Product ID (ePID)17038691722

Product Key Features

Book TitleJazz : a History of America's Music
Number of Pages512 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicReference, United States / General, Genres & Styles / Jazz
Publication Year2000
IllustratorYes
GenreMusic, History
AuthorKen Burns, Geoffrey C. Ward
FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.3 in
Item Weight72.1 Oz
Item Length11.1 in
Item Width9.4 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN00-022604
Dewey Edition21
Dewey Decimal781.6/5/09
SynopsisA masterpiece that brings to life the fascinating story of the quintessential American music--jazz. Visually stunning, with more than five hundred photographs, this companion volume to the acclaimed ten-part PBS TV series is an exploration of the music that celebrates all Americans at their best. Here are the stories of the extraordinary men and women who made the music: Louis Armstrong, the fatherless waif whose unrivaled genius helped turn jazz into a soloist's art and influenced every singer, every instrumentalist who came after him; Duke Ellington, the pampered son of middle-class parents who turned a whole orchestra into his personal instrument, wrote nearly two thousand pieces for it, and captured more of American life than any other composer. Bix Beiderbecke, the doomed cornet prodigy who showed white musicians that they too could make an important contribution to the music; Benny Goodman, the immigrants' son who learned the clarinet to help feed his family, but who grew up to teach a whole country how to dance; Billie Holiday, whose distinctive style routinely transformed mediocre music into great art; Charlie Parker, who helped lead a musical revolution, only to destroy himself at thirty-four; and Miles Davis, whose search for fresh ways to sound made him the most influential jazz musician of his generation, and then led him to abandon jazz altogether. Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Artie Shaw, and Ella Fitzgerald are all here; so are Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and a host of others. But Jazz is more than mere biography. The history of the music echoes the history of twentieth-century America. Jazz provided the background for the giddy era that F. Scott Fitzgerald called the Jazz Age. The irresistible pulse of big-band swing lifted the spirits and boosted American morale during the Great Depression and World War II. The virtuosic, demanding style called bebop mirrored the stepped-up pace and dislocation that came with peace. During the Cold War era, jazz served as a propaganda weapon--and forged links with the burgeoning counterculture. The story of jazz encompasses the story of American courtship and show business; the epic growth of great cities--New Orleans and Chicago, Kansas City and New York--and the struggle for civil rights and simple justice that continues into the new millennium., The companion volume to the ten-part PBS TV series by the team responsible for The Civil War and Baseball . Continuing in the tradition of their critically acclaimed works, Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns vividly bring to life the story of the quintessential American music--jazz. Born in the black community of turn-of-the-century New Orleans but played from the beginning by musicians of every color, jazz celebrates all Americans at their best. Here are the stories of the extraordinary men and women who made the music: Louis Armstrong, the fatherless waif whose unrivaled genius helped turn jazz into a soloist's art and influenced every singer, every instrumentalist who came after him; Duke Ellington, the pampered son of middle-class parents who turned a whole orchestra into his personal instrument, wrote nearly two thousand pieces for it, and captured more of American life than any other composer. Bix Beiderbecke, the doomed cornet prodigy who showed white musicians that they too could make an important contribution to the music; Benny Goodman, the immigrants' son who learned the clarinet to help feed his family, but who grew up to teach a whole country how to dance; Billie Holiday, whose distinctive style routinely transformed mediocre music into great art; Charlie Parker, who helped lead a musical revolution, only to destroy himself at thirty-four; and Miles Davis, whose search for fresh ways to sound made him the most influential jazz musician of his generation, and then led him to abandon jazz altogether. Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Artie Shaw, and Ella Fitzgerald are all here; so are Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and a host of others. But Jazz is more than mere biography. The history of the music echoes the history of twentieth-century America. Jazz provided the background for the giddy era that F. Scott Fitzgerald called the Jazz Age. The irresistible pulse of big-band swing lifted the spirits and boosted American morale during the Great Depression and World War II. The virtuosic, demanding style called bebop mirrored the stepped-up pace and dislocation that came with peace. During the Cold War era, jazz served as a propaganda weapon--and forged links with the burgeoning counterculture. The story of jazz encompasses the story of American courtship and show business; the epic growth of great cities--New Orleans and Chicago, Kansas City and New York--and the struggle for civil rights and simple justice that continues into the new millennium. Visually stunning, with more than five hundred photographs, some never before published, this book, like the music it chronicles, is an exploration--and a celebration--of the American experiment.
LC Classification NumberML3508.W37 2000

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4.8
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  • Great Jazz history compilation

    This is an excellent companion book to the Ken Burns Jazz PBS series. So much was covered in each episode that it is easy to miss some detail. Also, it includes many excellent historic photos I have not seen elsewhere.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Concise

    It is the best 'history of Jazz' book that I have ever read. Beautifully printed and great articles throughout.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Amazing (Big) Book

    Incredible amount of detail, from the beginnings of jazz to the newest sounds. This is one big (heavy) book, with hundreds and hundreds of unique photos, and info available nowhere else. It's an education in itself; should be worth 6 CEUs!

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Perfect accompaniment to the Ken Burns P...

    Perfect accompaniment to the Ken Burns PBS series on Jazz.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Great value

    Very comprehensive view of Jazz

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • I Love Jazz

    Better condition than the one I had first checked out from the library!

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Really awesome book

    Very happy with purchase. Thank you!!

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • says it all.

    Excellent writing by knowledgeable writers.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Would have liked a dust jacket

    Would have liked a dust jacket

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned