Will you be in New Orleans?

The New Orleans Jazz and Hertitage Festival starts today and runs through May 5. Many great artists will be appearing. But do you know the history of jazz? What about Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock? What do they all have in common?  The answer is, they are all great jazz artists. 

Enslow's Incredible African-American Jazz Musicians from our African-American Collective Biographies series highlights how each of these musicians got started and what gifts they brought to the world of music.

Each of these musicians had their own voice, sound, or style of playing. Miles Davis played trumpet in a muted whisper. Charlie Parker's saxophone solos displayed phenomenal speed and variety. 

Library Edition ISBN: 978-1-59845-137-5
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4644-0036-0

The earliest jazz originated in New Orleans. It's musical elements were derived from African-American brass marching bands and ragtime music from the saloons. Known as Dixieland, it was characterized by several musicians simultaneously playing their improvisations based on the melody and chord pattern of the tune. The tune would most likely have been a popular song of the day or a blues that the musicians did not compose. Many of these early jazz musicians could not read music. But through improvisation they created exciting, joyful music that bore little resemblance to the original tune.

You can read more about the history of jazz and these eight great jazz musicians in our book, Incredible African American Jazz Musicians by Stephen Feinstein.

Available from Enslow, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, your favorite independent bookstore or your preferred vendor.