Classic Jazz: The Musicians and Recordings That Shaped Jazz, 1895-1933

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for biographical survey of Jazz history.
Review: Scott Yanow's Classic Jazz profiles some of the biggest names in classic jazz; from Louis Armstrong and James Johnson to Jelly Roll Morton: the high-profile artists of the 1920s. Chapters explore the roots of jazz from its ragtime origins to early blues, focussing heavily on the period between 1917-33 and using biographical sketches to outline the experiences of the jazz makers. An intriguing, lively survey.