Jazz For Dummies is the essential guide to jazz! Jazz fans, both neophytes and aficionados, will find a wealth of information here. Essential elements of jazz are explained in straightforward language, and the music's history is thoroughly covered, from New Orleans to avant-garde and acid jazz.

The book also comes with a CD containing 10 tracks by top-notch players and there's a great section on starting a jazz CD collection, including a list of 100 essential albums.

Jazz For Dummies explains this complex music in simple terms and it uses dozens of comments from famous musicians to help give an accurate, insider's view of the music. The book is easy to read and to use as a resource. Each chapter is self-contained, which means you can open it to any page and instantly get a whole nugget of information. Or you can look up a style or performer in the index and instantly find the information you need. Also, Jazz For Dummies takes you inside the music in a way that other jazz books don't through colorful descriptions of famous songs and albums. — Dirk Sutro

From the publisher...

Attention all Jazz lovers!

With "Jazz For Dummies®", noted jazz journalist Dirk Sutro takes a giant step towards securing the widespread appreciation that jazz music deserves. Designed for fanatics and novices alike, "Jazz For Dummies®" is more than a series of biographies or an exhaustive discography. In addition to the fundamentals of jazz music and comprehensive information about seminal musicians, songwriters, vocalists, and their recordings, Sutro delves deep into the heart of jazz. Arguing that jazz is primarily primal — intended to express and provoke the deepest emotions — Sutro gives equal weight to the head and the heart, telling readers what they need to know to find the varieties of jazz that will move them. A CD of jazz classics allows even neophytes to start listening to some of the best of what jazz has to offer.

In addition to his engaging, accessible prose and exhaustive knowledge of jazz music, Sutro peppers "Jazz For Dummies®" with anecdotes, opinions and explanations of the artists themselves; readers can learn about jazz first-hand from such masters as Dave Brubeck, James Moody, Joe Lovano, Jon Faddis, and Mose Allison. Both a fascinating cover-to-cover read and a handy, helpful reference guide,"Jazz For Dummies®" is a must for all jazz fans.

Praise for Jazz for Dummies...

"Not only is Jazz For Dummies educational, it's fun to read. This book provides an important stepping stone to understanding this complex and profound music." — James Moody

"Dirk Sutro is madly in loev with jazz and...he knows what he's talking about." — Chubby Jackson

"Now you can finally know about one of...America's greatest contributions to world culture." — Jon Faddis

More about Dirk Sutro .