The story of the development of jazz and the extraordinary jazz legends who changed the face of music. Do you have a hard time differentiating between hard bop, bebop, and the blues? Need to Know?Jazz puts jazz in its musical and historical context, and gets you started with stories of famous artists and the best recordings to listen to. From the beginnings of jazz to the years of swing and satchmo, Bob Blumenthal introduces jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and looks at how they transformed the art form into the era of bebop, with new names such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. The broad variety of styles within jazz, from swing and ragtime to big bands and blues is complemented with listening suggestions, making this the ideal introductory guide for anyone eager to learn more about this unique art form.