Gunther Schuller (1925–2015)

This is by far the best music book I've ever read. It is scholarly, no doubt, but Schuller's joy in this music comes through on every page. A rudiemntary ability to read music is a plus with this book, but by no means necessary. Schuller is even-handed and open-minded but never abdicates the critic's responsibility to judge. And absolutely never abdicates the scholars responsibility to inform. A wonderful book on 1930s jazz.

Intimate involvement in a variety of musical genres has been a feature of Gunther Schuller's professional life. He has performed (on horn) with renowned orchestras and significant jazz musicians. He is well recognized as a composer for producing pieces that incorporate elements of jazz and classical music, albeit these compositions make up a small portion of his body of work. He was the New England Conservatory's president while working as a teacher. He has also worked as a record producer, show more editor, writer, conductor, arranger, and advocate.
The first volume of Schuller's memoirs spans the years from 1925, the year he was born, up until roughly 1960. The book opens with a short introduction by the author and the opening article "The Musician as Mediator" by Joan Shelley Rubin. show less

This is volume 1 of three volumes on the history and musical contributions of jazz, by the composer, conductor and musical scholar, Gunther Schuller. This book takes readers "from the beginnings of jazz as a distinct musical style at the turn of the 20th century to its first great flowering in the 1930s. Schuller explores the music of the great jazz soloists of the twenties: Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Biederbecke, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and others; and the big bands and arrangers: show more Fletcher Henderson, Bennie Moten and especially Duke Ellington. He places their music in the context of the other musical cultures of the twentieth century, and offers analyses of many great jazz recordings. A classic study, this book is both a splendid introduction for students and an insightful guide for scholars, musicians and jazz fans." - jacket notes. Recommended. show less

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