The book tells the story of Jazz music, from its very origins in the Mississippi Delta, up until today. From Buddy Bolden to Wynton Marsalis, the lives of major Jazz masters are featured: Armstrong, Ellington, Goodman, Parker, Monk, Tristano, Davis, Brubeck, Coltrane, Dolphy, Mingus, Coleman, Taylor, and many, many more.

 

The book describes the major stages in the development of Jazz music, from its very origins – Gospel, Spiritual, Blues, Ragtime, to Dixieland, Chicago Jazz, Swing, Bop, Cool, Modal, Avant-Gard, Free, Fusion and contemporary.

 

The book is written in a light, literary manner, also suggesting some parallels between the Jazz music and other musical and cultural forms. 

 

Life of Jazz won Georgia’s top literary award SABA in 2010.