Explores the origins of jazz, explains how to listen to it, and discusses styles from early jazz through bebop, cool jazz, avant-garde, and fusion.
"...the best approach to contemporary classroom jazz education extant."--Jazz Times
"...clearly a text designed to fit a ten-week college quarter; but it can also serve nicely as an informative introduction to jazz for novice fans...Gridley manages to touch most of the important musical baes with chapters devoted to early jazz, swing, bebop, cool jazz, hard bop avant-garde and fusion...a few hours with the Concise Guide to Jazz will add immeasurably to one's enjoyment of the music."--Jazz Forum