Experiencing Jazz provides clear explanations of each jazz style and how it functions in contrast to other styles. Each style is presented in association with its primary innovators. The material is presented in a logical chronological sequence, but art is never that clean and easy to categorize or sort out. The reader will find the occasional paradox within a single chapter created by the juxtaposition of one style against a polar opposite. This approach was chosen rather than compartmentalizing styles and artists and confining their discussions to nice, cleanly sectionalized chapters. The multiplicity of styles is precisely what was often encountered at the time, particularly from about 1945 on, leaving audiences, critics, and the musicians to make sense of it all. Experiencing Jazz goes beyond most textbooks by placing the music in a historical, cultural, and social context, helping readers to relate the music to their own interest areas, and to understand why, to some extent, the music may have developed as it did.

Experiencing Jazz and the companion media provide the reader with an understanding of how jazz works, how and why it evolved, who its primary innovators were, how to listen to it, and how in some cases jazz has been informed by certain aspects of American society. The book and accompanying CD-ROM will familiarize the student with basic building blocks of music as they relate to a discussion of jazz. Without an elementary understanding of music con­struction and jazz performance practices, it is impossible to fully appreciate jazz performance. It is for this reason that such topics are discussed in Chapters 2 and 3 rather than at the end of the book as appendixes. Experiencing Jazz is designed to create educated listeners, not just to present facts, dates, figures, lists of tunes, and performers.

Each style chapter includes a retrospective glimpse at the reception of jazz in America by providing the reader with some insight into how the music was perceived by critics, historians, and fans.

Since this book embraces and recognizes the needs of nonmusicians and musicians alike, a great deal of emphasis is placed on materials that will enhance their understanding and appreciation of jazz by providing a more informed listening experience. It is not enough to merely read about jazz; it must be keenly listened to. A collection of audio recordings, combined with numerous video and audio tutorials located on the CD-ROM, reinforces the principles and performance practices associated with jazz. Emphasis is placed on artists who made significant contributions to jazz rather than inundating the reader with lists of performers who are indeed noteworthy when considering the evo­lution of jazz but, in retrospect, are not considered to be major trendsetters or innovators. A few musical examples have been included on the CD-ROM and in the text to challenge readers who may be musicians. In most cases these examples are supported by audio interpretations on the CD-ROM and graphic representations that can easily be interpreted by the nonmusician.