Books about Jazz Musicians and Jazz History

From Coleman Hawkins to Chris Potter, the evolution of jazz style and harmony is carefully examined and clearly explained in this monumental work centered around iconic solos on the great standard Body

Here is a book that, at the same time, includes the best compositions of the ground-breaking Cuban fusion group, Irakere; is a thorough guide to the roots of Afro-Cuban jazz; and provides an overview of

Jazz has evolved its own harmony apart from other genres of music. In order to improvise and compose in the idiom, a basic understanding of this harmony, how chords move and connect with each other, is

In this book, composer/arranger, music historian, and music editor Jeff Sultanof takes a fresh look at Big Band music, examining why the Big Band era started when it did; how pop music changed to meet the

Free Jazz, Harmolodics, and Ornette Coleman discusses Ornette Coleman's musical philosophy of "Harmolodics," an improvisational system deeply inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. Falling under the guise

The Jazz Rhythm Section introduces the basics of this very important part of the jazz ensemble. They are the foundation of any jazz group, so improving the rhythm section will result in a stronger

The Jazz Standards, a comprehensive guide to the most important jazz compositions, is a unique resource, a browser's companion, and an invaluable introduction to the art form. This essential book

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

With his 12-string Stella guitar, Lead Belly sang out a cornucopia of songs that included his classics The Midnight Special, Irene, The Bourgeois Blues and many more, which in turn have been

The Miles Davis Reader compiles more than 200 news stories, feature articles, and reviews by some of the greatest writers in jazz into one volume. It delivers a patchwork of his words and music - in the

Based on research in the recently opened archive of personal papers, artifacts, scrapbooks, music, news clippings and photographs, Pat Patrick: American Musician and Cultural Visionary, explores the life

For all musicians with questions not answered in other books, noted author Dan Haerle's latest work contains a lifetime of information about technical considerations, life advice, road stories, and

Cannonball Adderly introduced his 1967 recording of Walk Tall, by saying, "There are times when things don't lay the way they're supposed to lay. But regardless, you're supposed to hold your head up high

In What It Is: The Life of a Jazz Artist, friend, pianist, and noted jazz scholar Lewis Porter conducts a series of in-depth interviews with David Liebman, who discusses his professional, personal,