Henry Carter Hull

Beginners guide to understanding jazz, including history, differing styles, and behind-the-scenes looks at the masters and their music. Accompanying audio disc features excerpts of jazz explored in the text.

Chronicles the history of jazz music and provides information on the major types of jazz, the key musicians of the twentieth centuries, European and African influences on jazz, and other related topics.

Contains conversations with fifteen living jazz legends conducted by Ben Ratliff, a jazz critic at "The New York Times," in which he leads the musicians to explore their art by first getting them to listen to and talk about the music that inspires and teaches them.