- Hardcover: 704 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; illustrated edition edition (3 Nov 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141006463
- ISBN-13: 978-0141006468
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 5.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 794,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Wired, 1st December, 2005
Cook lives and breathes jazz as a writer and as a dedicated listener.
The Independent, 2 December, 2005
Unimpeachable... erudite, lively and up-to-date
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Richard Cook knows more than a thing or two about jazz - he also writes about it incredibly clearly, and with humour. Here at last is a jazz encylopedia small enough to lift off the shelf without fear of doing yourself damage - but packed with enough information and pithy write-ups to keep you dipping into it regularly. Cook doesn't hold back on his own views of various musicians, so don't necessarily expect your favourite artist to get away scott-free if he doesn't rate them. An excellent companion book to the Penguin guide to Jazz that Cook has co-written with Brian Morton. Fresh, witty, cleanly laid-out and not trying to cram everything in - who could want more from a music reference book?
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia is remarkably comprehensive and one of the best biographical jazz reference books I've come across.
My only minor complaint is the omission of an entry for the late, perceptive jazz writer and broadcaster, Charles Fox. Unusually, for a critic, he was well respected by musicians and his superb, long running 'Jazz Today' programme on Radio 3 was very influential. Charles contributed enormously to jazz appreciation in Britain and, hopefully, he will be included in the next edition.
Apart from that I'd thoroughly recommend this wide-ranging encyclopedia which should be an essential part of any jazz library.
My only minor complaint is the omission of an entry for the late, perceptive jazz writer and broadcaster, Charles Fox. Unusually, for a critic, he was well respected by musicians and his superb, long running 'Jazz Today' programme on Radio 3 was very influential. Charles contributed enormously to jazz appreciation in Britain and, hopefully, he will be included in the next edition.
Apart from that I'd thoroughly recommend this wide-ranging encyclopedia which should be an essential part of any jazz library.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In many ways this is a great book. It's scope certainly matches it's title. There are potted biographies for a huge number of musicians and groups. The author doesn't pull his punches in his critiques. There's one recording mentioned for each of these entries. There are also entries on terminology / jargon, venues, festivals, writers and record labels. I bought it as a reference book but have spent happy hours just dipping into it at random. Additionally it's a useful companion to The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD which Richard co-authored.
It is of course impossible to include every notable jazz musician in a volume that's affordable and will fit on a bookshelf but the author acknowledges this in the introduction.
I've only given 4 stars because I think some opportunities have been missed. A few words about each recommended recording would be helpful for those without The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. There are too few mentions of the style that the musicians play in. Finally indexes sorted by date, style and instrument would be invaluable.
Even with these omissions I'm sure my copy will get very heavy use.
It is of course impossible to include every notable jazz musician in a volume that's affordable and will fit on a bookshelf but the author acknowledges this in the introduction.
I've only given 4 stars because I think some opportunities have been missed. A few words about each recommended recording would be helpful for those without The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. There are too few mentions of the style that the musicians play in. Finally indexes sorted by date, style and instrument would be invaluable.
Even with these omissions I'm sure my copy will get very heavy use.
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