Essential Jazz: The First 100 Years, 2nd Edition (repost)

A complete jazz chronology, ESSENTIAL JAZZ: THE FIRST 100 YEARS, 2e, delivers a thorough and engaging introduction to jazz and American culture. Designed for nonmajors, this brief text explores the development of jazz from its nineteenth-century roots in ragtime and blues through swing and bebop to fusion and contemporary jazz styles. Unique in its up-to-date coverage, one-third of ESSENTIAL JAZZ is devoted to performers of the 1960s through present-day performers.

The text's flexible organization and clear, interesting presentation are designed to appeal to learners with little or no music background. Accessible, informative Listening Guides provide a rich sociocultural context for each selection, giving both newcomers and aficionados a true feel for the vibrant, ever-changing sound of jazz.

"Martin and Waters provides an excellent introduction to the sounds and central issues of jazz history. It corrects several inaccuracies and inadequacies of previous introductory texts and provides the most complete coverage of contemporary developments in the music. The authors present detailed and insightful musical commentary and provide students and instructors with excellent topical questions to provoke further discussion."

"The tables summarizing stylistic characteristics of particular genres are especially important for students new to jazz who need something to grab onto when studying for exams."

"The authors do a very good job of presenting a narrative without making it seem teleological."