Review of Shipton's NEW HISTORY OF JAZZ

[garthsj]

This is an interesting, and perceptive review of Allan Shipton's NEW HISTORY OF JAZZ.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/cm/main/...44&page=all

[Lazaro Vega]

As just a side note -- I wrote a long article for the Grand Rapids Press about The New History of Jazz when it first came out and produced a two hour radio special from the same interview with Alyn Shipton. In the lead to this article there was a mention of "not much notice" in America. That may be true, but there was probably more than he knows.

Here is the interview: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=9830

Edited March 6, 2007 by Lazaro Vega

[ghost of miles]

This is an interesting, and perceptive review of Allan Shipton's NEW HISTORY OF JAZZ.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/cm/main/...44&page=all

I recently got a used copy of the first edition. Teachout writes:

But it has now been reissued in an expanded and extensively revised edition. At over 800 closely packed pages, this is the most detailed historical survey of jazz yet to be published.

Anybody around these parts who might be able to comment on whether or not it's worth trading up for the second ed.?

[Lazaro Vega]

I think so. He's added sections on contemporary pianists and singers since WWII.

[A Lark Ascending]

I recently read the second edition and really enjoyed it. However, I'd not read the first edition so it's hard to comment.

I will say I enjoyed the first 2/3rds more than the last 1/3. As often happens in these books he seemed to be racing through scores of names, unable to spend very long on any of them. The earlier part seemed more analytical.

Then again, it might just be the fact that I'm more familiar with the more recent history so found less that was novel there.