Book Review

The History of Jazz
by Ted Gioia

This lengthy book provides a very thorough overview of jazz from its earliest roots to the present day. It's a fascinating story, full of great music and interesting people (many of whom met an early death - being a jazz musician is bad for one's life expectancy). Even though he has a lot of ground to cover and a lot of artists to include, Gioia is largely successful in avoiding dry, laundry-list style prose. He's not afraid to express opinions and let his own perspectives into his writing. The result is an eminently readable book that is nigh on ideal for anyone who wants to know more about jazz.