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 enlarge | Artist: Various Artists
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $11.98
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $11.97 (100%)
New (38) Used (65) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 4335
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 61439
UPC: 746461439262
EAN: 0074646143926
ASIN: B000050HVJ
Release Date: November 7, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Great Jazz Overview May 6, 2005
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I have had an interest in jazz for a long time but I was always looking for a good introduction to this most American of music. I continued to have questions as to how jazz evolved and even though I knew the names of many of the great jazz musicians, such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, my listening was limited to Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Finding this CD helped me to explore jazz in much more depth. The Best of Ken Burns Jazz is an offshoot of his documentary film and the series of recordings issued as part of the film. So, this is a personal selection of music, chosen with a lot of difficulty, to provide an overview. For me, I was allowed to explore a lot of different music and then explore more fully the selections I was most interested in, some in the Ken Burns series and some that were not.
This CD follows the development of jazz from the New Orleans style developed by Louis Armstrong to the great instrumentalists (like Bix Beiderbecke), the great vocalists (like Billie Holiday), big bands (Benny Goodman) and the innovators (John Coltrane and Miles Davis). The CD contains the signature pieces by the musicians represented and allows the listener to reflect on the origins and changes that jazz made through the years. The great names of jazz are represented: Count Bassie, Artie Shaw, Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck and more. The recordings have been nicely remastered but, of course, since many are mono recordings (the oldest from 1927 was made about a year after the invention of the microphone) the sound quality will not match the digital technology of today. The ear does adjust to the sound and I am more interested in the music than complaining that it is not sonically perfect.
The booklet notes by Ken Burns makes interesting reading. He traces jazz, recording by recording, providing insight into the personalities, the importance and how it fits into the overall evolution of this unique musical form. The booklet is also nicely illustrated and each track is fully identified with a reference to the original album. If you are looking for a good overview of jazz, this CD is what you are looking for.
Initiation to Jazz and serious music March 12, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was my first Jazz music purchase. Since then, largely because of good introduction through this CD, I have purchased a few dozen Jazz CDs and even upgraded my sound system for better appreciating recorded music in its purest sense.
This CD also introduced me to different genres and periods of Jazz and helped me steer in a certain direction of my budding tastes. Last third of CD - is not only from a later period (1950's) but so easy to fall in love with - Monk, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane etc.
After more than a year I was able to better appreciate the earlier period (1920's and 30's - first two thirds of the CD) - Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Billy Holiday etc. Now I have an album for almost all artists presented here and more.
Sure it is not my favorite Jazz CD - but it has served its purpose in developing serious taste for Jazz in me - which thus far was just in background.
Good value for retail price - hard to beat at used price. Highly recommended.
Dynamic September 10, 2002
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Even though I am a jazz novice, I can feel the artists' motivations. I feel their soul, in their music they communicate something eternal, which may not be recreated. Take a chance and you will be inspired. One note from Louis Armstrong and you will thirst for more. Soon you will want Duke, Sarah, Miles, Dave. Don't delay. A few friends, one, or none, and a glass of wine, and nothing could be better to end or begin the week.
You Gotta Get This! August 22, 2002
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a must for any music lover's CD collection. 'Nuf said!
A good sampler Jazz CD, with some, if not all, of the best July 27, 2002
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
It's easy to quibble about what's not on this CD, for example, I wanted more Thelonius Monk, more Benny Goodman, more Duke, more jazz piano in general, and..and..and...but...think about it. How hard must it have been for Ken Burns to choose the best of the best to represent his marvelous television series on jazz? Pretty difficult, is my guess. So is this CD good for what it is? You bet. It does remind me pleasantly of the poignant images from the TV series, and I pull this off my shelf oftener than nearly any other jazz CD I own. I always love to listen to a few favorites which are included here (Billie Holiday "In my Solitude", Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" and Benny Goodman's "King Porter Stomp.") Yes, I would have included some other of my personal favorites instead, and yes, I adore this CD anyway. In fact, it's a good compromise considering the volume of great music that had to be left to other CD collections. Thanks, Ken.
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