Definitive Jazz & Blues Encyclopedia

The Definitive Jazz & Blues Encyclopedia, now fully updated from the illustrated edition, is the ultimate guide to two musical styles that have fundamentally influenced popular music. Divided into chapters, each covering a different era, the book traces the evolution of jazz and blues from their nineteenth-century African-American origins right through to the present day. Each chapter starts with a Sounds & Sources section, looking at the key developments in the music during that period. This is followed by an A–Z of artists from that era, with more extensive entries on key artists that include recommended classic recordings. With further sections on Styles, covering everything from Ragtime to Bebop and Texas Blues to Rhythm & Blues, and more; and Instruments, all written by a team of experts, this invaluable encyclopedia is comprehensive, easy to use and highly informative.

Howard Mandel (consultant editor) is a New-York based writer and editor specializing in jazz, blues, new and unusual music. He produces arts features for National Public Radio, teaches at New York University, is president of the Jazz Journalists Association and edits its website www.Jazzhouse.org. Mandel’s books include Future Jazz and Miles Ornette Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz. He has written for Down Beat, Musical America, The Wire (UK), Swing Journal (Tokyo), Bravo (Rio de Janeiro), and many other periodicals.Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts (Foreword) is one of the most in-demand jazz drummers in the world, with several Grammy Awards under his belt. He has played with the Wynton Marsalis Quartet, the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Kenny Garrett’s band, George Benson, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Brecker and many more. He has worked in TV and film, as a musician on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and playing Rhythm Jones in Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues. Jeff has an extensive discography as sideman and as a leader.