As an old time lover of Jazz, but rather new to really examining the lives behind its great musicians, and particularly Duke Ellington, I started out with "Duke Ellington: A Spiritual Biography" by Janna Tull Steed (great book (and just 192 pages) for anyone new to the Duke & jazz). It was Steed's book that really built the interest to explore Ellington in more depth and, Hasse's book is just what I was looking for. It is a hefty book but it is absolutely and completely accessible, just what is required to approach this great man of Jazz.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable story of the life and times of one of America's greatest and most prolific composer/musicians. It characterises the "Duke" as a caring, people loving person with close family ties, and a quest for excellence against all odds. The Forward by Wynton Marsalis is clear and insightful. The author has accomplished an easy to follow sequence of events enhanced by photos and drawings. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.

now this is the kind of Book that I call must reading because it covers a Form of Music&the People that molded&brought it to Life in a Rich Classy way.it explores so many areas&brings it all back to home without missing a beat.this Book is a History Lesson on so many things.Jazz is a Wide range topic all onto itself&this Book Explores that&so much more.

This textbook covers basically all aspects of jazz. From the music's multi-cultured roots to the swing revival and every era in between, Jazz: The First Century presents a comprehensive timeline of ground breaking musicians(famous and obscure), and their most memorable compositions and recordings. The book shows how history influenced jazz, and likewise how jazz influenced history. It brings alive the original brass bands in New Orleans; the heyday of the prohibition years in Chicago, including Joe "King" Oliver's band showcasing Louis Armstrong on cornet; the development of styles such as swing, bebop, and fusion; and the rest of the world's interpretations of the music that grew up in America. I recommend this book to jazz enthusiasts who want a biography of the music, musicians who need a reference to classic jazz recordings, or anyone even remotely interested in recent music history. Did I mention that there is a list of key jazz albums? Also, a great index and many images!

Read it now!

I'm so glad they finally re-issued this book. The first copy I read was a used and vintage copy. So many books have been written about the jazz age and the swing era that it's nice to get the perspective of someone that was there. Hoagy has a wonderful way with words and writes with a wit that also shows in his movies (think To Have and to Have Not). I highly recommend this for anyone interested in American history and the history of American Classical music.

The book discussed herein is nothing more than a brief biographical overview of Hoagy's life/work. It then touches on the recordings on the LP's, discussing the artists and the inspiration, as well as details included in the songs. The albums make this worth three times as much as Amazon asks for. You'll be enchanted again and again by his melodies, and his "every man's " lyrics. Wonderful albums. Book is okay.

This is a wonderful book to give on a special occasion when you want your little one to know just how much they are loved. It is a reassuring book with sweet passages such as .."I love you when you smile. I love you when you're sad. I love you when you're angry - and even when you're bad!" The illustrations show different kinds of animals with their mothers or fathers or both, which it makes it appropriate for all types of families. My only reason for rating the book a 4 rather than a 5, is that the illustrations are not very soft or appealing for such a sweet message book.