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Experiencing Jazz

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Experiencing Jazz, Third Edition, is an integrated textbook with online resources for jazz appreciation and history courses. Through readings, illustrations, timelines, listening guides, and a streaming audio library, it immerses the reader in a journey through the history of jazz, while placing the music within a larger cultural and historical context. Designed to introduce the novice to jazz, Experiencing Jazz describes the elements of music, and the characteristics and roles of different instruments. Prominent artists and styles from the roots of jazz to present day are relayed in a story-telling prose. This new edition features expanded coverage of women in jazz, the rise of jazz as a world music, the influence of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, and streaming audio.

Experiencing Jazz, as the title suggests, provides an immersive experience using an integrated text and website with a streaming audio CD anthology collection designed for the non-musician or musician whose primary focus is not jazz.  This new 2nd edition is a significant text upgrade that also features all of the 1st edition material from the CD-ROM on a web site.

Features:

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  • Important musical trends are placed within a broad cultural, social, political, and economic context

  • Music fundamentals are treated as integral to the understanding of jazz, and concepts are explained easily with graphic representations and audio examples

  • Comprehensive treatment chronicles the roots of jazz in African music to present day

  • Commonly overlooked styles, such as orchestral jazz, Cubop, vocal jazz, and third-stream jazz are included

  • Expanded and up-to-date coverage of women in jazz

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The media-rich companion website presents a comprehensive streaming audio library of key jazz recordings by leading artists integrated with interactive listening guides. Illustrated musical concepts with web-based tutorials and audio interviews of prominent musicians acquaint new listeners to the sounds, styles, and figures of jazz.

A message from the author:

The newly revised 3rd edition published by Routledge is now available! The website  content previously included with earlier editions along with links to all suggested listening tracks found on Spotify is also available for use . The streaming availability of the listening assignments makes the audio content and discussions easier and much cheaper for students.  It is also available from Amazon.com. A big THANK YOU too the many users who have patiently awaited this new edition. I am also grateful to my new co-author Dr. Justin Binek whose contributions have enhanced the vocal jazz area significnatly as well as his other contributions throughout the book. 

Rick VanMatre - Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies and Saxophone at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and still teaching there on a part-time basis. Formerly served as the conservatory’s Director of Jazz Studies

“I just wanted to tell you that I received the new edition of Experiencing Jazz in the mail and it is fantastic! It really must be the definitive book of its kind – incredibly well written and
compelling for the general reader as well as deep and meaningful for the jazz musician. Congratulations on a tour de force."
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