Jazz: A Beginner's Guide

(Paperback)

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Description

This definitive guide includes a playlist for the reader to hear the evolution of jazz from its earliest years to the present day. Today, we hear jazz everywhere, often without realising it - while drinking coffee in a trendy cafe, sitting in a bar or walking through a shop. Jazz has greatly influenced other music genres too, from classical to pop and rock. Acclaimed music journalist and jazz critic Stuart Nicholson takes us on an entertaining journey from the early origins of jazz to its evolution through the decades. Accompanied by a host of famous musicians past and present, such as Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, Jazz: A Beginner's Guide is a lively and highly-accessible introduction to this global musical phenomenon.

Reviews

"An important contribution to jazz history by one of our leading writers, whose scholarly and artful evolutional guide navigates the listener boldly through the world of jazz. Itis marked by formidable research and a passionate commitment to distilling the styles and majormoments in this century of jazz, that open the door and your ears to a truly beautiful journey."

-- Professor Tommy Smith - Artistic Director of Jazz, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra
"Stuart Nicholson leads the reader on a step-by-step journey to unlock the mysteries of jazz. Though geared towards neophytes, the most seasoned jazz fan will learn much in these pages." -- Randy Sandke - American jazz trumpeter and guitarist

"Far more than a beginner's guide, this book is Stuart Nicholson's enlightened and enlightening view of jazz enough so to make even experienced jazz fans listen with fresh ears."

-- Bill Kirchner Musician, producer and educator

Author Bio

Stuart Nicholson is Professor at Leeds College of Music. He has written six books on jazz including biographies of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. In 2007 Stuart received the Jazz Journalist of the Year award. His work has appeared in all major newspapers in the UK and the United States.