This is not the first chronicle or encyclopedia of jazz on the bookshelves and will not be the last. It is probably not the most comprehensive history of the much‐vaunted subject, either. But to my mind it is the best yet. In a nutshell: it is a lively, elegantly‐written and beautifully illustrated catalogue. A valuable reference tool, an indispensible compilation and a credible guide.
Apart from being endlessly fascinating, it is surprisingly informative and if this sounds a touch over‐egging, that is because it really is a masterpiece of arrangement. As well as being endlessly fascinating, it is also surprisingly informative. It provides the newcomer or jazz convert with an easy‐to‐use and accessible introduction to this all‐compelling subject. By its very nature, jazz covers a diverse area of music. So what makes this book such a considerable achievement is that it manages to transcend the entire history and the colourful range of personalities who have surely enriched jazz for a century.
Beginning in 1895 when African slaves in US plantations succeeded in creating an exciting new American art‐form, jazz has endured apace since. Author, and university music lecturer Mervyn Cooke has tracked its progress with skill and eloquence. He knows his subject well, and clearly, he loves it.
Too many previous attempts at producing a jazz chronicle have turned out little more than an endless list of names (date of birth, date of death and an outline of major musical achievements in between). Dr Cooke has managed to produce considerably more than a dictionary. It is beautifully illustrated with 325 photographs, more than 80 of them in colour and succeeds in breaking down the entire history of jazz in a year‐by‐year account of all the multifarious exponents and personalities, stories and innovations behind the century’s most exciting music.
Alongside the highlights of each particular year, the author gives a potted history of world events. Each neat, chronologically arranged section contains special features on topics ranging from the characteristics of a particular instrument and the current jazz scene in a particular part of Europe to personality sketches and seminal gigs. Throughout, a clever cross‐section system points to related motifs, people or music as well as a complete 30‐page reference section at the back containing an extensive discography, glossary, biographies, bibliography and index.
From the splendid front‐cover art work which pictures the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, makers of the first‐ever recording, blues’ empress Bessie Smith, and the innovative Miles Davies, the book carries rare pictures, facts and fascinating detail of live performances and the personalities and events embracing any period. The achievement is all the more remarkable when one accepts the change from ragtime, blues, big‐band jazz, dance music, swing, hot jazz, bebop and modern jazz, the breakdown of barriers of classical music and hybrid jazz‐style rock fusion. In addition, it captures the elegance and frailty of one of the most fertile traditions this century, and includes anecdotal glimpses of the humour and camaraderies.
It is clear that Dr Cooke has not paid mere lip service, if you will pardon the pun, to jazz. This is not a cut‐and‐paste repeat of previous efforts. He has researched in great depth to come up with fascinating anecdotes. There is an interesting, though perhaps obscene, reference to the original meaning of funky and it has absolutely nothing to do with anything resembling musical earthiness. Cooke introduces us to Funky Butt Hall, that dubious house of pleasure in New Orleans, recognised cradle of emerging jazz style and, in effect, takes readers on a musical global history tour.
Who needs another jazz book? Well, probably nobody ‐ unless the book is to ensure you enjoy the real thing to its ultimate. This book eases the way to approach and appreciate jazz. On the way it provides signposts and landmarks for guidance. In the year war broke out big‐band jazz exemplified by Glenn Miller became the pop music of World War II, the tenor sax acquired new prominence in the hands of Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins and the foundation of the Blue Note label inspired a revival of boogie‐woogie. And in the year the war ended, jazz was becoming polarised between bebop with the likes of the young Miles Davies and the conservative idiom championed by the revivalist movement.
This book is meant to be used, an active reference book for anyone inspired by jazz. Now that jazz has a substantial history, here is a book for the millennium. It is essentially generous and quite mad about the music. It is factually dense and delightfully packaged. A wonderful job and bang up to date.
