Satchmo
The Genius of Louis Armstrong
by Gary Giddins

" A treasury worthy of both the genius and the gentle spirit of Armstrong."
- People

The Masters of Bebop
A Listener's Guide
by Ira Gitler

"Gitler is an admirable scholar and a knowledgeable reporter [of] the bop era."
- New York Times Book Review

The World of Duke Ellington
Updated Edition
by Stanley Dance

"A major work in the history of jazz literature, an absolutely fascinating insight into the complex and beautiful world of America's greatest composer."
- Ralph J. Gleason

The World of Swing
by Stanley Dance

"Here's a book that really tells about Duke and his musicians...It has been written by someone who knows them well, and that's good."
- Count Basie

Open Sky
Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation
by Eric Nisenson

"Fascinating. I learned many things about Sonny that even I didn't know."
- Lucille Rollins

Cats of Any Color
Jazz, Black and White
by Gene Lee

"Vividly rendered interviews and vignettes illustrating that jazz in practice has long been plagued by the very racism some people think it could (and should) obliterate."
- New York Times Book Review

Stomping the Blues
by Albert Murray

"The most eloquent book ever written about African-American music."
- Stanley Crouch, Village Voice