Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 781
EAN num: 9781858285283
ISBN number: 1858285283
Label: Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 912
Printing Date: March 01, 2000
Publishing house: Rough Guides
Sale Popularity Level: 1088927
Studio: Rough Guides
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The Rough Guide to Jazz is the essential reference tool to jazz artists and recordings, from world renowned legends and major musical styles to more obscure, yet influential artists and lesser-known movements. Including more than 1600 biographies and almost 3000 recommendations of recordings on CD and vinyl, this concise volume covers jazz music from its very roots up to the present day. Written in Rough Guides' trademark readable, entertaining style and including photos of many of the artists, Jazz is the most complete and dependable directory to the artists and albums.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I have read this book cover to cover several times by now, so I have a few opinions. Like another reviewer said, the entries for artists of the same caliber are very disproportunate. There is also a shortage of biographical info on some of the people. The mental breakdowns of Bud Powell and Billy Bolden are well documented, but no mention is made of the fact of Jaco Pastorious' breakdown and death (he's even talked about in the present tense). Here's my main gripe: while their choices for essential albums are mostly right on - though they only recommend ONE JOHN ZORN CD - at least 60-70% of the CDs they recommend are out of print and ridiculously expensive, or on import labels. I underlined quite a few that I wanted in the book and went looking on Amazon for them. It's enough to make you cry. And I don't know about you, but I automatically skip the entries on British musicians. I just don't care about British jazz. There's too much good American stuff for me to dig into. So, all in all - the book is good if you're dipping your toe into the pool, but if you've been wading in here for awhile, you might be disappointed.
Rated by buyers -
This is a fine guide indeed - it covers more non-US artists than some other notable editions (European, Azian, African artists...) and it really tries to keep up with recent developments in jazz.
Naturally, all that means that traditionalists might desire larger articles on (mostly American) true jazz giants of the classical era, but that's just a matter of personal taste.
Some of the articles are impressionistic, unneceserily pointing out that an artist didn't play so well when he wisited Europe few years before he died, but failing to say why precisly was he so great, but most of the articles are (in the worst cases) fine, written with real passion for the music, and often relying on serious research.
As a fan (primarily but not exclusively) of older jazz I'd like to point to the articles on Buddy Bolden and ODJB, where the influence of this all-white group's influence on British society is comparable to the influence of later punk musicians (!?).
So, this book is not only interesting and useful, it is also thought-provoking.
Rated by buyers 
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i bought rough guide to soul for myself last year and couldn't put it down. so i am going out on a limb by glorifying rough guide to jazz so readily. but i feel safe in this.
and i hope my dad really likes it--it was his birthday gift this year!
guess what? he liked it!!!
Rated by buyers -
I like this book, mainly because I find I share similar tastes as as the authors. If they recommend a CD, I generally enjoy it. Their selection of the best recordings of people like Corea and Jarrett I also agree with. Whereas I have been disappointed with other publications such as the Penguin and AMG guides which have a different viewpoint.
Not surprisingly, the book is very good on the British scene and what is happening on the Babel, Caber and Provocateur labels. The UK is very interesting at the moment, with lots of young exciting players and music.
Rated by buyers -
The Rough guide doesn't compete with the Penguin jazz guide for the sheer number of reviews, but it does make for a great comparison. I usually go to the Penguin guide very first and then cross check against the Rough guide. There is certainly a different feel between the two books and what they list as important. The rough guide is more contemporary in my opinion, with fewer hang-ups about what jazz is and which albums are worthwhile. Having both books is a good way to go and a good way to learn.
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