Guides: Jazz: Jazz history, discographies and bibliographic resources

Jazz history

Search the library's catalogue using the following subject headings to browse books and resources on:

Select books on jazz history:

Below are just a few examples of items available at the library to get you started.

The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia
Universally hailed as a classic--acclaimed by jazz critics and fans around the world.
Lush Life by David Hajdu
Through scrutiny of Strayhorn's private papers and more than five hundred interviews, Hajdu revives Strayhorn as one of the most complex and tragic figures in jazz history.
Norman Granz by Tad Hershorn
"Any book on my life would start with my basic philosophy of fighting racial prejudice. I loved jazz, and jazz was my way of doing that,". Granz played an essential part in bringing jazz to audiences around the world, defying racial and social prejudice.
Jazzwomen by Wayne Enstice; Janis Stockhouse
Jazzwomen collects 21 fascinating interviews. The participants discuss everything--their personal lives, musical training and inspirations, recordings, relationships with other musicians, the music industry, sexism on the bandstand,
Keeping Time by Robert Walser
Drawing from contemporary journalism, reviews, program notes, memoirs, interviews, and other sources, Keeping Time lets you experience, first hand, the controversies and critical issues that have accompanied jazz from its very birth.
Jazz Dance by Lindsay Guarino ; Wendy Oliver
This collection of essays tells the story of jazz dance past and present, focusing on history, not technique. This anthology examines trends, influences, training, race and gender issues, aesthetics and the international appeal of jazz dance.
Reading Jazz 1917-1995 by Robert Gottlieb
Displaying keen intellectual discernment and great passion, Robert Gottlieb, former president of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and former editor of The New Yorker, brings together more than 150 excerpts from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers, creating a monumental anthology of essays about jazz.

Discographies

Online:

The Jazz Discography Online (TJD Online)
- Source of information about jazz records and jazz recording sessions
- Encompasses all genres of jazz and contains information about 400,000+ recordings released between 1896 and today
- Sessions are listed by bandleader name and presented in chronological order: details include tune titles as well as the names of all supporting musicians and the instrument(s) they played
- The date, matrix and record company release numbers of each recording are also included

Selected print discographies:

Print discographies are located on the 5th floor of the Library. Below are listed only a few examples. Many more may be discovered by browsing the shelves at the call number ML156.

Source of information about jazz records and jazz recording sessions
Encompasses all genres of jazz and contains information about 400,000+ recordings released between 1896 and today
Sessions are listed by bandleader name and presented in chronological order: details include tune titles as well as the names of all supporting musicians and the instrument(s) they played
The date, matrix and record company release numbers of each recording are also included

60 years of recorded jazz, 1917-1977 by Walter Bruyninckx
A meticulously compiled discography of jazz recordings from 1917-1977. Includes personnel including sidemen, record label, and catalogue numbers.
The Blue Note Label by Michael Cuscuna; Michel Ruppli
From 1939 until the late 1960s, much of the best in recorded mainstream jazz was issued on the Blue Note label, which set the standard for excellence in both music and production. The present work provides complete discographical information on every recording made or issued by Blue Note.
The CLEF-VERVE Labels - A Discography by Michel Ruppli; Bob Porter
The Clef/Verve discography is another magnificent achievement for which the jazz world owes Michel Ruppli and Greenwood Press an enormous debt of gratitude.
Ella Fitzgerald by J. Wilfred Johnson
Ella Fitzgerald is fondly remembered as America's First Lady of Song from dixieland, swing, blues and Broadway show tunes. This complete discography traces her recordings from her first recording with Chick Webb and His Orchestra to her last recording for the motion picture film The Setting Sun.
Dis Here by Chris Sheridan
Chris Sheridan presents a major discographical study of an American jazz giant, Cannonball Adderley, whose career had a significant impact on jazz's development. A definitive work essential for all researchers of jazz.

Bibliographic resources

Online:

BiblioJazz
- Database of more than 6,000 entries created by musicologist and jazzman Laurent Cugny and expanded by his musicology students for more than twelve years

Selected print resources:

Print resources are located on the 5th floor of the Library. Below are listed only a few examples to get you started.

The Jazz Ensemble Companion by Michele Caniato
Revisit favorite arrangements, discover new ones, and inspire your jazz ensemble with sound and adventurous music to play. This book recommends and analyzes sixty-seven quality jazz arrangements and includes eight indexes of musical features to help instructors select repertoire and teaching topics.
Jazz scholarship and pedagogy by Eddie S. Meadows
Aesthetics, appreciation, criticism, clubs, festivals, philosophy, reference works, photographic essays, jazz in world cultures, discography, theses and dissertations, pedagogy materials, jazz journals, jazz research libraries, and more.
The Miller Companion to Jazz in Canada by Mark Miller
An authoritative reference to Canadian jazz, this book is a monumental undertaking, covering the history, denizens, personalities and important venues in jazz since its beginnings in Canada, in the wonderful, readable style Mark Miller is known for.
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather ; Ira Gitler
From birth dates to gig dates and from recordings to television specials, Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler have left no stone unturned in their quest for accurate, detailed information on the careers of 3.300 jazz musicians from around the world.