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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Very informative and fun to learn. Sadly it did drag when going through all the eras. But jazz is jazz so yeah I liked it duh.
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
The great Jazz critic and musician Ted Gioia breaks down the art of jazz for the novice in an engaging and fun manner. Breezy and enjoyable and educational read. 3.5 Martinie glasses
Fantastic book. I'd recommend this book to someone who has never listened to jazz before, or someone who has listened to over 100 jazz albums. Really anyone that wants a deeper appreciation of jazz.
I consider myself fairly experienced in jazz, but I learned so much in this book, particularly how to appreciate pre-bebop jazz, which I've always struggled with.
It's structured particularly well, covering the basics of jazz (rhythm, phrasing, improvisation, etc), then covering each genre/movement in jazz with a suggested listening guide for each genre, and covering the most influential musicians in jazz (Armstrong, Hawkins, Ellington, Holliday, Parker, Monk, Davis, Coltrane, Coleman) with a listening guide to those musicians.
Ted Gioia is a great writer, and I really enjoy the way he writes about music. Being a jazz musician and music critic for many decades probably helps with that, but he really seems to understand the amazing mix of emotions, and impressive technicalities that can happen when listening to the genre. He also just seems so incredibly knowledgeable, on every front. I will definitely be checking out more of his work.
I consider myself fairly experienced in jazz, but I learned so much in this book, particularly how to appreciate pre-bebop jazz, which I've always struggled with.
It's structured particularly well, covering the basics of jazz (rhythm, phrasing, improvisation, etc), then covering each genre/movement in jazz with a suggested listening guide for each genre, and covering the most influential musicians in jazz (Armstrong, Hawkins, Ellington, Holliday, Parker, Monk, Davis, Coltrane, Coleman) with a listening guide to those musicians.
Ted Gioia is a great writer, and I really enjoy the way he writes about music. Being a jazz musician and music critic for many decades probably helps with that, but he really seems to understand the amazing mix of emotions, and impressive technicalities that can happen when listening to the genre. He also just seems so incredibly knowledgeable, on every front. I will definitely be checking out more of his work.
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this book in some ways but in other ways it’s not what I wanted. In the first half, it sort of covers what to listen for in jazz. To me that wasn’t as helpful as it could have been though I suppose that could be helpful to somebody. I suppose I wanted something more in depth as opposed to an “intro to jazz listening” kind of thing, which kind of just means I should read more books on jazz I suppose.
The second half however, is exactly what I wanted. First, there was an overview of jazz subgenres from New Orleans Jazz in the 1920s all the way to postmodern jazz and neoclassical jazz in the 90s. It gives suggested listening for each. After I finished that chapter I thought that was obviously cool but felt kind of brief and not in depth regarding the styles of any specific artists. I was pleased when the next chapter had an overview of some (not all obviously) major jazz figures and how to approach a deep dive to their work and what to listen for in their music. It provides a massive amount of listening to dive into to explore the history of jazz and gives a framework for how you should approach artists not mentioned.
I was kind of hoping it would approach more current jazz, and it didn’t in depth, but the final chapter of explained why. He provides a hopeful picture for the current state of jazz and its future. Jazz is so varied at the moment and there are so many amazing artists, he instead opted to explain why it’s so hard to encapsulate modern jazz in a few artists, and then provides a list of 150 currently working jazz artists that he likes, not as a complete list but just as suggestions.
Overall the book made me more excited about the genre than I’ve ever been and I will certainly return to certain sections of the book as I explore jazz in my own time.
The second half however, is exactly what I wanted. First, there was an overview of jazz subgenres from New Orleans Jazz in the 1920s all the way to postmodern jazz and neoclassical jazz in the 90s. It gives suggested listening for each. After I finished that chapter I thought that was obviously cool but felt kind of brief and not in depth regarding the styles of any specific artists. I was pleased when the next chapter had an overview of some (not all obviously) major jazz figures and how to approach a deep dive to their work and what to listen for in their music. It provides a massive amount of listening to dive into to explore the history of jazz and gives a framework for how you should approach artists not mentioned.
I was kind of hoping it would approach more current jazz, and it didn’t in depth, but the final chapter of explained why. He provides a hopeful picture for the current state of jazz and its future. Jazz is so varied at the moment and there are so many amazing artists, he instead opted to explain why it’s so hard to encapsulate modern jazz in a few artists, and then provides a list of 150 currently working jazz artists that he likes, not as a complete list but just as suggestions.
Overall the book made me more excited about the genre than I’ve ever been and I will certainly return to certain sections of the book as I explore jazz in my own time.
informative
medium-paced
Honestly, I wouldn't have picked up this book if I didn't need it for a college class; however, it's a surprisingly decent read. I expected it to read more like a text book, but the book was rather easy going.
You definitely need some interest in jazz to appreciate the details of the book, but anyone could appreciate how well Gioia writes and translates his passion for jazz to readers who may not be so committed.
You definitely need some interest in jazz to appreciate the details of the book, but anyone could appreciate how well Gioia writes and translates his passion for jazz to readers who may not be so committed.
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
informative
fast-paced
A superlative guide for cultivating an informed taste in jazz. Among the excellent suggestions are following the bass line, singing along with the melody, and comparing professionals and amateurs (e.g. school bands) playing a particular piece. I look forward to employing these strategies while listening to online and live performances.