The Six Best Books About Duke Ellington

Best Books About Duke Ellington

It’s hard to underestimate the impact that iconic composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington had on the development of jazz to where it is today. Unsurprisingly, he’s a popular subject amongst jazz biographers and, in this article, we’ve highlighted six of the best books about Duke Ellington. A multi-faceted musician, the various booked about Duke …

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Iconic Jazz Songs From The Harlem Renaissance Era

Harlem Renaissance Songs

The Harlem Renaissance is the name given to a period in the early 20th Century from the 1910s to the mid-1930s which marked an explosion of African American culture emanating from the New York neighbourhood of Harlem.  Whilst the term covers a wide range of artistic and societal topics in black history, jazz was perhaps …

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Jazz on Screen: Ten Great Movies About Jazz

Jazz in the movies

The personal stories of the jazz greats are often just as exciting, entertaining and emotional as the music they created. In this article, we’ll look at some of the best movies about jazz, from documentaries and biopics to fictional films. From the early days of bebop, jazz has intrigued artists from across various creative disciplines. …

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1959 – The Year That Changed Jazz

1959 in jazz

1959 was a seismic year in the history of jazz music. It saw the arrival of several timeless classics (not least ‘Giant Steps‘ and ‘Kind of Blue‘) and is frequently heralded by critics and fans as the greatest year in jazz. Pioneering releases by the likes of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and Charles …

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What is Jazz? The Musicians & The History of Jazz Explained

What Is Jazz The history of jazz explained. Photo of a saxophone player and trumpeter.

Drenched in emotion, struggle and triumph, the history of jazz reveals a style of music which has evolved at lightening pace over the last 100 years. In this article we chart its course to answer a question which has occupied musicians and listeners for decades, both on a practical and a philosophical level: what is …

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10 of the Best Jazz History Books of All Time

Jazz History Books (title)

Great jazz music didn’t appear in a vacuum and in this article we’ve picked 10 books which allow the reader to get deeper into jazz history. The goal? To discover the people and the situations which led to the evolution of the music we love.  Whether you’re an artist, fan or just starting to learn …

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Latin Jazz Music – The Best Albums & Artists

As part of our round up of the different types of jazz, we’re taking a trip into the melting pot that resulted in what we now call Latin Jazz. Stay tuned for 10 of the best latin jazz artists and albums of all time!  Jazz has always featured a myriad of cultural influences, dating back to …

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