Ocean State Libraries

"Learn to distinguish the different styles of classical music; explore composers, instruments, orchestras, concerts, recordings, and more; build a fabulous classical music library." --

Jazz 101 is a fascinating entrée into the world of jazz, for the beginner, novice, or jazz enthusiast. Szwed takes listeners on a tour of the varied and nonlinear history of jazz, exploring how it developed from an ethnic music to become America’s most popular music and then part of the avant-garde in less than fifty years. Szwed’s complete overview includes the major types of jazz and significant jazz musicians of the twentieth century;...

From the unique perspective of a professional jazz pianist, King explores the basic elements and language of jazz. He explains each instrument's role in locking in the tempo, establishing the harmony, and stating the melody, and he reveals the order and logic behind the seeming randomness of improvisation. Along the way, he celebrates the distinctive playing styles of such classic jazz artists as Art Blakey, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk, as...

Describes the stories behind the writing and creation of fifteen different operas, detailing the circumstances of each composer's life and times and the impact their environment had on their art.

"Jazz is the great American art form, its very essence is predicated on freedom and creativity. Its sound unequivocally calls forth narratives of past struggles and future dreams. Yet jazz can be as inscrutable as it is mesmerizing, especially to outsiders who don't know what to make of improvisation or unexpected shifts in melody or tempo. How does a casual listener learn to understand and appreciate the nuances between the unapologetic and innovative...