Overview

Jazz is a music born in the United States and formed by a combination of influences. In its infancy, jazz was a melting pot of military brass bands, work songs and field hollers of the United States slaves during the 19th century, European harmonies and forms, and the rhythms of Africa and the Caribbean. Later, the blues and the influence of Spanish and French Creoles with European classical training nudged jazz further along in its development. As it moved through the swing era of the 1930s, bebop of the 1940s, and cool jazz of the 1950s, jazz continued to serve as a reflection of societal changes. During the turbulent 1960s, freedom and unrest were expressed through Free Jazz and the Avant Garde. Popular and world music have been incorporated and continue to expand the impact and reach of jazz. Today, jazz is truly an international art form. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Jazz contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1,500 cross-referenced entries on musicians, styles of jazz, instruments, recording labels, bands and bandleaders, and more. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Jazz.

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9781538128145

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Reviews

This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Jazz expands, updates, and revises the first. The dictionary proper comprises brief entries--typically one or two paragraphs but sometimes just a sentence (e.g., DROP: A glissando downward from the end of a note. )--about musicians, bands and ensembles, places, record labels, instruments, musical terminology, and genres. Cross references are indicated in boldface. In addition to the dictionary entries, a 23-page chronology notes significant historical figures and events from 1881 to 2019. The book also includes a section of acronyms and abbreviations and a brief introduction to the history of jazz. The 54-page bibliography cites sources (websites among them) on jazz photography, jazz and culture, and jazz beyond borders. Davis (Univ. of Colorado, Boulder) is effective in synthesizing meanings, history, biography, and other relevant material and keeping the narrative brief but useful. . . The value of the dictionary lies in the perspective Davis brings to the subject and his ability to speak to performers, historians, and aficionados and to those whose relationship with jazz is more peripheral. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; graduate students; professionals; general readers.--CHOICE

Author Information

John S. Davis is Professor of Jazz Studies and Senior Associate Dean for the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has been a jazz educator for over 25 years and formerly served as Director of the Thompson Jazz Studies Program.

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