Sunday, November 18, 2012

Book: Ted Gioia - The Jazz Standards (Oxford University Press)


The Jazz Standards, a comprehensive guide to the most important jazz compositions, is a unique resource, a browser's companion, and an invaluable introduction to the art form. This essential book for music lovers tells the story of more than 250 key jazz songs, and includes a listening guide to more than 2,000 recordings.

Many books recommend jazz CDs or discuss musicians and styles, but this is the first to tell the story of the songs themselves. The fan who wants to know more about a jazz song heard at the club or on the radio will find this book indispensable. Musicians who play these songs night after night now have a handy guide, outlining their history and significance and telling how they have been performed by different generations of jazz artists. Students learning about jazz standards now have a complete reference work for all of these cornerstones of the repertoire.

Author Ted Gioia, whose body of work includes the award-winning The History of Jazzand Delta Blues, is the perfect guide to lead readers through the classics of the genre. As a jazz pianist and recording artist, he has performed these songs for decades. As a music historian and critic, he has gained a reputation as a leading expert on jazz. Here he draws on his deep experience with this music in creating the ultimate work on the subject.

An introduction for new fans, a useful handbook for jazz enthusiasts and performers, and an important reference for students and educators, The Jazz Standards belongs on the shelf of every serious jazz lover or musician.

Features

  • Includes composer details, recording history, and brief commentary from jazz expert Ted Gioia on 250 well-known jazz pieces
  • Presents unprecendented canonical guide to the standard jazz repetoire
"In his book The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire, released in July, Ted Gioia undertakes the task of fitting the defining tunes of this hugely varied form into one tome. The 544-page work is an alphabetical index of more than 250 of the most beloved jazz tunes, with a listening guide to more than 2,000 of recordings and renditions of these songs, all based on his own research and empirical reckoning. The book is replete with anecdotes and advice for listeners, both jazz newcomers and old fans. Essentially, he's given The Real Book, the "illegal" hand-written volume of jazz and pop tunes written in standard notation (a bible for jazz musicians), a highly detailed upgrade. ." Review by Scott Krane @ TheAtlantic.com