Harmony Illus Ency of Jazz P

Granted there may be newer books on the subject of jazz but this edition is a classic. I've had my copy since back in the day and it never is on the shelf, but always near my music collection for handy reference. Concise yet informative, the format makes for a quick study. Released before discs were available, the book features (275) classic album covers in both color and black and white. Glimses into the classic album covers is worth the price of admission alone. The discographies are complete up to the time of publication in the late 70's. There are many rare photographs as well featuring many of the giants of America's music. The book is a comprehensive who's who of jazz with over 400 artists covered. Short biographies covering mostly the musicians artistic career reflects the various stages the musician passed through in their development, which groups they played with etc. There are obscure artists featured as well as the more popular. The records listed for each artist include UK releases that may have been unavailable in the United States. This is especially helpful for the jazz album collector who is hunting the second hand used record bins. There are some quite rare releases that are still floating around in the thrift stores and swap meets. In essence there is a wealth of information that mixes nicely with the nostalgia of the days of old school jazz records. Recommended for jazz afficionados everywhere.