Best Book on Pre-Swing Jazz

Started by mn dave, July 16, 2008, 06:10:33 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

mn dave

I not only want history, I want good recording information as well.

toledobass


mn dave


mn dave

A real hot topic.  ::)

I ordered the book, Allan. Thanks, again.  :)

toledobass

Quote from: Apollo on July 17, 2008, 06:30:34 AM
A real hot topic.  ::)

I ordered the book, Allan. Thanks, again.  :)

hehe,  no problem.  I think you'll enjoy it.  It can get kind of tedious. It is much more fun if you are able to listen to the musical examples he references. 

lemme know what you think when you start diggin in.

Allan

mn dave

Quote from: toledobass on July 17, 2008, 07:10:32 AM
hehe,  no problem.  I think you'll enjoy it.  It can get kind of tedious. It is much more fun if you are able to listen to the musical examples he references. 

lemme know what you think when you start diggin in.

Allan

Is it more history or music theory? As for his examples, if I don't own them, I'll probably try to purchase them.

toledobass

Hmmm.....it's hard to explain.  It's kind of like a musicology approach, I guess. In that specific timeline it goes through how the music evolved,  what makes up the defining characteristics of the music,  who the innovators were and why. etc....all of that stuff with musical examples for additional support.

I think in the back of the book is an appendix with the albums of where the musical examples can be found.  I could be wrong though.  I didn't own many of the albums, but I remember that it wasn't too hard to track down the specific examples, and that was before the ease of the internet.

Allan

mn dave

Quote from: toledobass on July 17, 2008, 07:38:59 AM
Hmmm.....it's hard to explain.  It's kind of like a musicology approach, I guess. In that specific timeline it goes through how the music evolved,  what makes up the defining characteristics of the music,  who the innovators were and why. etc....all of that stuff with musical examples for additional support.

I think in the back of the book is an appendix with the albums of where the musical examples can be found.  I could be wrong though.  I didn't own many of the albums, but I remember that it wasn't too hard to track down the specific examples, and that was before the ease of the internet.

Allan

Okay, thanks. I guess I'll find out soon enough.  ;D

SonicMan46

Not home @ the moment to even check the books that I currently own on jazz, esp. from that era -  :(

Agree w/ Allan about the Gunther Schuller tome, but did find the book a hard & often tedious read (despite its highly respected reputation) - has been a while but not sure that I even finished it!  I believe that if I were a musician, better understood chords & their progressions, and had a better 'ear', the book would have been a good read for me?  :-\

Now if you want album/CD recommendations, many jazz books just don't give a good 'mix' of history & specific suggestions for recordings.  I've used the All Music Guide to Jazz for years - now in its 4th edition (and needing an update!) - I like it, but others have not; the Penguin Guide is also not bad, and there are plenty of other books that concentrate on recommendations (but, of course, don't do much w/ history).

Also, check out the All Music Web Site for jazz - you can explore jazz by era and/or artists - under the artists selections, the discography section will often include numerous album/CD ratings (of course, from their pages).

Good luck in your search - and hope others will offer comments - not sure that I've bought a jazz book in a half dozen years or more, but will check tonight @ home! Dave  :D

Also, check out the Teaching Company's offering Elements of Jazz: From Cakewalks to Fusion w/ Bill Messenger; I download this program last year (MP3 format - burned all lessons to a CD-R; booklets can be downloaded in PDF format) - think that I purchased this for half the price now being shown (often their offerings go on sale - giving them a call might get you half price) - excellent teacher & pianist - this is indeed 'early' history going back into the late 19th century.


mn dave

Quote from: SonicMan on July 17, 2008, 11:36:43 AM
Now if you want album/CD recommendations, many jazz books just don't give a good 'mix' of history & specific suggestions for recordings.  I've used the All Music Guide to Jazz for years - now in its 4th edition (and needing an update!) - I like it, but others have not; the Penguin Guide is also not bad, and there are plenty of other books that concentrate on recommendations (but, of course, don't do much w/ history).

There's a new Penguin guide coming out later this year. I may get that one.

QuoteAlso, check out the All Music Web Site for jazz - you can explore jazz by era and/or artists - under the artists selections, the discography section will often include numerous album/CD ratings (of course, from their pages).

Yeah, that's a great site--the best for music research, probably. I use it all the time.

QuoteGood luck in your search - and hope others will offer comments - not sure that I've bought a jazz book in a half dozen years or more, but will check tonight @ home! Dave  :D

Thanks for checking, Dave!

SonicMan46

Hello Dave - at home and just looked @ my jazz books, not a lot of choices for the area of interest for you; plus, I'm rather surprised @ the age of some of these books - I need to get 'more serious' again about JAZZ!  8)

Check out that reference to the 'Teaching Company' offering by Messenger - really good & enjoyable, if you can get a bargain price!

Below is a list of some of the books that I own & have enjoyed related to 'early' jazz:

The Creation of Jazz (1992) by Burton Peretti (University of Illinois Press) - boy, from the date I read this one a while ago, but addresses the origins of jazz, rural/urban origins, and migration to the northern cities.

The Jazz Book, 6th ed. (1989) by Joachim Berendt; revised by Gunther Huesmann - translated and revised since 1953 but an enjoyable read; covers jazz from 1890 to the early 1990s; again, I've not read this is a while but is still in my collection (so probably a re-read?).

The History of Jazz (1997) by Ted Gioia - a more general but excellent book, however, not as much on 'early' history.

And just a couple of books on specific performers that relate to the 'Swing' & 'Pre-Swing' eras:

Louis Armstrong's New Orleans (2006) by Thomas Brothers - this is the most recent 'jazz' book that I've bought - yes, a bio, but a great description of New Orleans of the times when Louie was growing up - not a bad start for understanding this music!

Swing, Swing, Swing (1993) by Ross Firestone; yes, mainly a Benny Goodman bio, but a great recount of the swing (and pre-swing) era - a recommendation.   :D

   


mn dave

Thanks for the generous post, Dave. Looks like you have lots of good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

These are the only jazz books that I've kept around.

This one's a good, easy to comprehend, introduction to jazz.



And this one's self-explanatory. A really great book:


karlhenning

#12
Has no one else taken an interest in this one?





Jazz
Gary Giddins & Scott DeVeaux


For only one likeable thing about this book:  No subtitle. It's just Jazz.

SonicMan46

#13
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 28, 2010, 08:52:00 AM
Has no one else taken an interest in this one?





Jazz
Gary Giddins & Scott DeVeaux


For only one likeable thing about this book:  No subtitle. It's just Jazz.

Karl - I was not even aware of this new Giddins book (published just a few months ago) and had not read a review, or would have ordered it immediately - checked on Amazon (great reviews), so placed an order a few minutes ago!   Thanks - Dave  :)

Spotswood

#14
Rudi Blesh, Shining Trumpets. Well written, with great insights on and appreciation of the jazz in the 20s and before. Includes detailed descriptions and critiques of the classic recordings you're looking for. Available at Amazon for like a dollar ninety-nine.