Written by award-winning jazz historian Ted Gioia, this comprehensive guide offers an illuminating look at more than 250 seminal jazz compositions. In this comprehensive and unique survey, here are the songs that sit at the heart of the jazz repertoire, ranging from "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Autumn in New York" to "God Bless the Child," "How High the Moon," and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Gioia includes Broadway show tunes written by such greats as George Gershwin and Irving Berlin, and classics by such famed jazz musicians as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. The book offers vibrant discussions of each song, packed with information about how the song was written, who recorded it, the song's place in jazz history, and much more. Gioia includes recommendations for more than 2,000 recordings, with a list of suggested tracks for each song. Filled with colorful anecdotes and expert commentary, The Jazz Standards will appeal to a wide audience, serving as a fascinating introduction for new fans, an invaluable and long-needed handbook for jazz lovers and musicians, and an indispensable reference for students and educators.
Ted Gioia's first new jazz book since The History of Jazz, The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire, is a comprehensive handbook to the 250 most important jazz compositions. The book highlights the most popular jazz standards, tells their story, explains their role in jazz, and serves as a gateway to the historic recordings that made these compositions into the foundations of the art form. The selected standards includes tunes from Broadway shows, written by the great American songwriters; pieces that first appeared in movies or were originated by big bands, or by pop singers outside the jazz world; and, of course, works written by jazz musicians themselves. A unique resource, a browser's companion and an invaluable introduction to the art form, this book suits the needs of new fans, jazz lovers, musicians, and students alike.
This book should be in the library of every gigging jazz musician and every serious jazz fan; to the extent that these 250-plus pieces remain in the repertory, it will be relevant for years to come
