MUSIC BOOK WORLD

JAZZ & BLUES

Jazz, a musical form that grew out of a cross-fertilization of folk blues, ragtime, and European music, particularly band music, has been called the first art form to develop in the United States of America. One of the key influences on jazz was blues, a rural folk art that changed as black musicians migrated to the cities in the late 19th century. In addition, many early jazz musicians made a living playing in small marching bands, and the instruments of these groups became the basic instruments of jazz: brass, reeds, and drums. Purportedly, the availability of war-surplus band instruments from the American Civil War aided the trend. Early jazz also frequently used the structure and beat of marches, which were the standard form of popular concert music at the turn of century.

Though jazz has its folk roots, it was partly created by formally-trained musicians like Lorenzo Tio. Scott Joplin, who played ragtime piano in a brothel while writing an opera, shows the different influences at work in the period. An important event in the development of jazz was the tightening of the Jim Crow (racial segregation) laws in Louisiana in the 1890s. Accomplished musicians of mixed race were no longer allowed to work with whites but were easily able to find work in black bands and orchestras, to which they applied conservatory standards. www.wikpedia.org

Music books are listed alphabetically by title.
There are no refunds or returns on books and sheet music.
P = Paperback     H = Hardcover
                                                TITLE          AUTHOR PAGES FORMAT PRICE PURCHASE                                     BOOK DETAILS
69 Ways to Play the Blues Laederach, Jurg 152 P $7.95
A Discography of Brew Moore Astrup, Arne 34 P $15.95
A Guide to Longplay Jazz Records Ramsey, Frederic 282 H $34.95
Very detailed discography of longplay jazz.
A Miles Davis Reader Kirchner, Bill 273 P $16.75
A Night in Tunisia Weinstein, Norman C. 244 P $17.50
Discusses the jazz musician's concept of Africa & African music within the broader jazz context.
All What Jazz: A Record Journey Larkin, Philip 312 P $11.95
Numerous witty and insightful short articles. Larkin's entire output from '61-71.
Amateur Night at the Apollo Cooper, Ralph 260 H $25.95
An Autobiography of Black Jazz Travis, Dempsey J. 543 P $26.50
As Though I Had Wings: The Lost Memoir Baker, Chet 118 H $18.95
At the Jazz Band Hall: A Memory of the 1950's Oakes, Philip 251 H $11.95
Avant Garde Jazz Musicians Such, David 206 P $17.50
Covers big names & Daniel Carter, Jemeel Moondoc & lesser knowns.
Bay Area Blues Vignes, Michelle 96 H $27.25
Photographs of Blues scene in San Francisco.
Beale Black and Blue: Life and Music on Black America's Street Mckee, Margaret 265 P $15.95
Beale Street Talks: A Walking Tour Down the Home of the Blues Raichelson, Richard 63 P $15.25
A slim volume but packed with great photos and info.
Bebop and Nothingness: Jazz and Pop at the End of the Century Dacis, Francis 304 H $26.50
Critiques a new jazz orthodoxy which uses bebop as a safe haven. ie yesterday's bold departure must remain in past.
Bebop: The Music and its Players Owens, Thomas 322 P $18.25
Comprehensive history, musical examples abound, everyone is covered well. A real bebop treat.
Benny Goodman Crowther, Bruce 128 P $10.50
Benny Goodman and the Swing Era Collier, James Lincoln 404 P $10.95
Berry, Me and Motown Gordy, Raynoma 344 H $19.95
Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington Hasse, John Edward 479 P $16.75
Draws on the Ellington archives in the Smithsonian.
Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm and Blues Hits White, Adam 506 P $24.50
Billie's Blues: The Billie Holiday Story Chilton, John 264 P $5.50
Billy Taylor's Taylor Made Piano Talor, Billy 264 P $23.50
Essays taken from his radio broadcasts.
Bird Lives Russel, Ross 404 P $16.75
Black and Blue: The Life and Lyrics of Andy Razaf Singer, Barry 444 H $29.50
Black and White Blues Norberg, Marc 212 P $50.50
Portraits of 60 of the great blues performers with fantastic photographs.
Black Musicians of America Donovan, Richard X. 172 P $15.95
Black Pearls: Blues Queens of the 1920s Harrison, Daphne Duval 299 P $16.75
Black: A Tribute to Black Jazz Musicians Strecker, James 60 P $8.50
Poetry & illustrations inspired by jazz.
Blues from the Delta Ferris, William 226 P $12.95
Blues Guitar: The Men Who Made the Music Obrecht, Jas 200 P $22.95
Short biographies/interviews of the most important contributors to blues guitar playing.
Blues Off the Record: Thirty Years of Blues Commentary Oliver, Paul 297 P $15.25
Blues People Jones, Leroi 244 P $11.95
Blues People: Negro Music in White America Jones, Leroi 244 H $24.95
Blues, Ideology, and Afro-American Literature Baker, Houston A. 225 P $12.95
Boogie Lightning Lydon, Michael 229 H $5.50
Bossmen: Bill Monroe and Muddy Waters Rooney, James 159 P $12.95
Brown Sugar: 80 Years of America's Black Female Superstars Bogle, Donald 208 P $20.50
Photo book of the women of jazz and blues. Numerous illustrations with accompanying text.
But Beautiful: A Book About Jazz Dyer, Geoff 204 P $5.95
Cats of Any Color Lees, Gene 246 P $13.95
Lees writes about racism in jazz
Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker (VHS Video) VHS $24.95
Very hard to find Parker documentary from 1987. Great interviews with Dizzy and other jazz masters.
Celebrating the Duke Gleason, Ralph J. 280 P $14.95
Reprint, panoramic survey of jazz.
Chasin' the Trane Thomas, J.C. 252 P $13.95
Chasing the Vibration Lock, Graham 192 P $19.75
Interviews with Sun Ra, Max Roach, Abdullah Ibrahim, John Gilmore and many more.
Chicago Blues Rowe, Mike 226 P $14.95
The development of the urban blues sound in Chicago.
Completely Frank: The Life of Frank Sinatra Holder, Deborah 191 H $23.50
Concise Guide to Jazz (With Cassette) Gridley, Mark C. 228 P $46.95
Very basic general intro.
Cousin Joe: Blues From New Orleans Joseph, Pleasant 227 H $19.75
Curtis Mayfield: Poetic License in Poem and Song Mayfield, Curtis 72 H $23.50
Song and lyric collection.
Das Grobe Jazzbuch (German) Berendt, Joachim E. 508 P $15.95
Das Jazzbuch Berendt, Joachim E. 237 P $7.50
Deep South Piano: The Story of Little Brother Montgomery Heide, Karl 67 P $8.50
Very rare. Original StudioVista printing.
Dirty Bird Blues Major, Clarence 353 P $7.95
Discovering Great Jazz Stroff, Stephen M. 179 H $19.75
Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye Ritz, David 367 P $15.25
Dizzy Gillespie McRae, Barry 136 P $16.75
Dr. John: Under a Hoodoo Moon John, Dr. 264 H $21.95
Highly anecdotal and amusing bio.
Drews Blues: A Sideman's Life with the Big Bands Page, Drew 226 H $23.50
Duke Ellington: Jazz Composer Rattenbury, Hen 327 P $21.95
Ella Fitzgerald Nicholson, Stuart 286 H $23.50
Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography of the First Lady of Jazz Nicholson, Stuart 334 P $15.95
Eric Dolphy: A Musical Biography and Discography Simosko, Vladimir 180 P $12.95
The best of both worlds, a discography and biography all about the great Dolphy.
Essays on Jazz Burnett, James 211 H $26.50
Etta James: Rage to Survive James, Etta 271 H $21.95
Every Day: The Story of Joe Williams Gourse, Leslie 208 P $10.50
Faces in the Crowd: Players and Writers Giddins, Gary 278 H $28.95
Fats Waller Shipton, Alyn 134 P $16.75
Feel the Spirit: Studies in 19th Century Afro-American Music Keck, George R. 183 H $45.95
Finding Buddy Bolden Marquis, Donald M. 72 P $11.50
First Bass: The Oscar Pettiford Discography Gazdar, Coover 90 P $21.95
Very detailed discography of Pettiford.
From Birdland to Broadway: Scenes From a Jazz Life Crow, Bill 273 P $13.95
From Blues to Bop: Jazz Fiction Albert, Richard N. 295 H $28.95
A collection of jazz inspired fiction by Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Kerouac, Alston Anderson and more. 
From Satchmo to Miles Feather, Leonard 258 P $11.95
Profiles of 12 pivotal jazz personalities like Armstrong, Basie, Ella, Holiday, Lester & Oscar Peterson.
Funky Butt Blues Fox, F. G. 213 P $11.95
Giants of Black Music Rivelli, Pauline 126 P $9.25
Going to Cincinnati: A History of the Blues in the Queen City Tracy, Steven C. 262 H $33.25
Got to Tell it: Mahalia Jackson Schwerin, Jules 204 H $15.95
Hamp: An Autobiography Hampton, Lionel 286 H $15.95
Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers Field, Kim 344 P $14.50
Evolution of harmonica and its most popular players.
High Times Hard Times O'day, Anita 376 P $21.95
Horn of Plenty: The Story of Louis Armstrong Goffin, Robert 304 H $31.95
How I Became Hettie Jones Jones, Hettie 239 P $10.95
Leroi's wife speaks.
Hurry up America and Spit Bailey, Pearl 105 H $8.50
Hurry up America and Spit (Signed by Author) Bailey, Pearl 105 H $10.95
I Guess I'll Get the Papers and go Home: Life of Doc Cheatham Cheatham, Adolphus Doc 147 H $37.95
In the Spirit of Jazz: The Otis Ferguson Reader Chamberlain, Dorothy 305 P $16.75
Introduction to Jazz History 4th Edition Megill, Donald D. 350 P $30.95
General intro to jazz from origins to present, mainly jazz styles & biographical sketches.
Irving Berlin and Ragtime America Whitcomb, Ian 219 H $6.95
Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle Barros, Paul de 238 P $23.50
The roots of the Seattle jazz scene around WW1: Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson, Ray Charles.
James Brown: The Godfather of Soul Brown, James 352 P $14.95
James Galway: An Autobiography Galway, James 181 H $10.50
Jazz and Blues on CD Molnar, Les 344 P $8.50
Jazz Changes Williams, Martin 317 P $15.95
Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in her Time Rose, Phyllis 321 H $21.50
Jazz Fest Memories Smith, Michael P. 160 P $23.50
Beautiful full colour photographs from the festival.
Jazz Fieber (German) Mezzrow, Mezz 335 P $8.50