Jazz: A History of America's Music

The photographs are undoubtedly beautiful, and many have had rare circulation in the last century. For graphic presentation alone, the book rates three stars. But Burns' overall viewpoint is ultimately a cozy, yuppie-class look at a music that defies and transcends his eagerness to rein it in into a neat, tidy narrative.

Seductively rendered, disappointingly researched.


That's a nice introduction to Jazz   July 20, 2001
 9 out of 14 found this review helpful

I think that the guys who are complaining about this book should understand that it's important to have some atractive devices to people that are interested in jazz but are afraid of so many different opinions, groups, tendencies... In this sense, I believe that this book is important. To many people, specially outside US, jazz looks like a kind of hermetic tradition. It's a nice introduction, though I am sure it's not sufficient once you have already started hearing jazz.


The Civil War Without Lee and Grant   July 5, 2001
I haven't read the book but own and have listened to the 10 tapes many times. How does one write a history of jazz with no mention of Nat King Cole and dismissing Stan Getz as having robbed a convenience store to support his habit? That's like writing a history of the Civil War without mentioning Lee and dismissing Grant as a drunk. This "history" is a tribute to Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Both were giants but jazz would have happened without either. All Ken Burns had to do was go to the old copies of Downbeat and Metronome to locate who all the giants were. It's known as research and cannot be replaced by going to Wynton Marsalis for a racist and biased view.

Also ignored are Joe Williams, Shirley Horne, Carmen McRae, J.J. Johnson, Billy Eckstine and Oscar Peterson. Other than for Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, the white bands are given short shrift. Les Brown, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman bands get only mention and little more. That treatment is accorded Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Art Pepper, Lennie Tristano, Bill Evans, Kai Winding, Buddy Morrow, Frank Rosolino, Bob Brookmeyer, Shelly Manne, Buddy Rich, Charlie Bird, Anita O'Day and Joe Mooney to name a few. These were not just greats. They influenced musicians, white and black, and changed the sound of jazz forever.

Getz took the Lester Young sound and style and developed it into one that was copied by every tenor man since, including Coltrane. The 4 brothers sound was everywhere. Bill Evans is considered by most knowledgeable critics as the finest jazz piano man who ever lived. The J & Kai recordings are among the greatest trombone works. Joe Mooney's group was 2nd (to Nat King Cole trio) in a 1940's Downbeat poll even thought they had never recorded. Anita O'Day was not only a great vocalist but also ran the High Note on North Clark Street in Chicago which was home to Monday night sessions for years. The influence of Tristano and Konitz cannot be questioned. Shelley Manne was widely copied and responsible for a style of drumming in which one felt more than heard the driving force of brushes. Bobby Brookmeyer continues to compose, direct and play to the present. Charlie Bird was the greatest of acoustic jazz guitarists and studied with Segovia.

With all of those omissions, Burns still finds space to showcase Armstrong and Ellington on each of the 10 tapes. That appears to be at urging of a bigoted Marsalis. There are many fine sides on those tapes. They should be heard. But don't imagine that this Documentary even scratches the history of jazz.