Jazz ABZ by Wynton Marsalis

Jazz ABZ by Wynton Marsalis

In a swinging improvisation with poster artist Paul Rogers, Wynton Marsalis celebrates the spirit of twenty-six stellar jazz performers, from Armstrong to Dizzy -- and showcases the same number of poetic forms.

A is for almighty Louis Armstrong, whose amazing artistry unfolds in an accumulative poem shaped like the letter he stands for. As for sax master Sonny Rollins, whose robust style radiates roundness, could there be a better tribute than a poetic rondeau? In an extraordinary feat, Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz composer Wynton Marsalis harmonizes his love and knowledge of jazz's most celebrated artists with an astounding diversity of poetic forms -- from simple blues (Count Basie) to a complex pantoum (Charlie Parker), from a tender sonnet (Sarah Vaughan) to a performance poem snapping the rhythms of Art Blakey to life.

Matching Wynton Marsalis's musical cadences note for note is the bold, poster-style art of Paul Rogers, highlighted in two phenomenal foldout spreads. The art's vibrant nostalgic feel is echoed in an exquisite design, with its size simulating an old 78 LP and its endpapers die-cut to mimic a vintage record sleeve. Complete with a discography and brief biographies of the featured musicians as well as notes on the various poetic forms, this is truly an incomparable gift book -- for older children learning about jazz, longtime jazz aficionados, lovers of poetry, and readers of all ages who appreciate the finest in book design. Back matter includes biographical sketches, notes on the poetic forms, and information about the author and the illustrator.

Born in 1961 near New Orleans, Louisiana to a musical family that included his pianist father Ellis, saxophonist brother Branford, and trombonist brother Delfeayo, Wynton Marsalis studied both jazz and classical trumpet. At eighteen, he entered the Juilliard School, and the next year joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the acclaimed band in which generations of emerging jazz artists honed their craft. He has toured with Herbie Hancock and won Grammy Awards for his jazz and classical concerto records.

He has recorded a series of hard-bop inspired ballads (Marsalis Standard Time: Volume 1-3), paid tribute to his native city (Crescent City Christmas Card), and written a suite for choreography in the spirit of Duke Ellington (Citi Movement). As co-founder and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, Marsalis has been dedicated to presenting the work of jazz masters such as Ellington and Thelonious Monk in formal concert halls. He is a tireless advocate for music education, from hosting a public television series to writing an instructive companion book, Marsalis On Music. He was also a major figure in Ken Burns' documentary, JAZZ.

In March 2001, Marsalis was awarded the United Nations designation of Messenger of Peace by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and in June 2002, received the Congressional Horizon Award. When not on tour, he lives in New York. Carl Vigeland is the author of several books, including, with Wynton Marsalis, Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life (see page 33). He has written about golf and many other subjects for such magazines as Golf Digest, Playboy, the Atlantic Monthly, Fast Company, and DoubleTake. He lives in Massachusetts.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780763621353
ISBN 10	0763621358
Title	Jazz ABZ
Author	Wynton Marsalis
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Candlewick Press,U.S.
Year published	2005-10-25
Number of pages	76
Prizes	Short-listed for Grand Canyon Reader Award (Teen) 2008, Short-listed for Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Grades 6-8) 2008
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable