The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to Fusion and Beyond

Joachim Berendt first published this work in German in 1953. Many editions and revisions later, this has become one of the cornerstones of jazz historical criticism. It has been translated into many languages, reflecting the universal appeal of the work. A clandestine Russian edition appeared in the former Soviet Union, and in Japan alone it has been edited three times. The Jazz Book is possibly the clearest, most didactic work of its kind. It's the first book I read about jazz and it made me appreciate the whole picture. It helped me to make the connections between musicians, works, instruments, ideas, styles, movements and influences. It's an invaluable introduction to jazz; it is written with great affection for the music, and translated very elegantly. It appears to have "fallen off" most current jazz reading lists, perhaps because there are newer, trendier writers addressing a modern, demanding, informed audience. But it's still a starting point that knows no rival.