Jazz cover

Jazz

by Scott Knowles DeVeaux

In this vivid history of jazz, from its roots in the late 19th century to the present, two exceptional authors, a leading scholar and a respected critic, write with intellectual bite, eloquence, and the passion of unabashed fans. They explain what jazz is, where it came from, how it works and who created it; all within the broader context of American life and culture. Also included a comprehensive 4-CD set of 78 works, recorded from 1916 to the present, features landmark classics as well as innovative departures from the standard canon. Each work is accompanied by a Listening Guide that takes you inside the music to hear and feel it as the musicians do.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?