I am proud to announce my short narrative history of jazz is officially released into the world. I wrote it for people without any musical knowledge since jazz hides in plain sight in global culture: it is the musical revolution that led to soul, rock, funk, and hip-hop. Jazz is a story of art, race, rebellion, and freedom that I tell through its development in the African-American communities of five American cities: New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City, New York and Los Angeles. With Spotify playlists!
God Bless America’s music critic, Ann Powers (NPR), for this beautiful blurb:
“It's hard to throw your arms around a universe, but Joel Dinerstein does so with grace and great insight in this essential guide to America's art form. Designed with maximum musical interaction in mind, it guides the reader by offering multiple views on jazz history —its relationship to cities, to Black migration, and to politics; its sonic evolution in streets, clubs and concert halls; its many personalities, from legends like Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis to central but less famous figures like Ben Webster and Hamid Drake. "Jazz is everywhere," Dinerstein declares. This kaleidoscopic little book proves that. A great addition to the shelf for a newcomer to the music or anyone who wants to enrich a lifetime of listening.”
And you can read it in an afternoon.
Dig in!