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Jazz
- A History of America's Music
- Narrated by: LeVar Burton
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
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Great first listens
Publisher's summary
But Jazz is more than a mere biography. The history of the music echoes the history of twentieth-century America. Jazz provided the background for the giddy era that F. Scott Fitzgerald called the Jazz Age. The irresistible pulse of big-band swing lifted the spirits and boosted American morale during the Great Depression and World War II. The virtuosic, demanding style called bebop mirrored the stepped-up pace and dislocation that came with peace. During the Cold War era, jazz served as a propaganda weapon - and forged links with the burgeoning counterculture. The story of jazz encompasses the story of American courtship and show business; the epic growth of cities, and the struggle for civil rights and simple justice that continues into the new millennium.
Featured Article: The Best Black Audiobook Narrators to Listen to Right Now
A skilled performer has the ability to take the written word to new heights, infusing an author’s work with empathy, warmth, and excitement. And representation matters just as much for audio as it does for any visual medium: listeners should feel and hear themselves in art driven by powerful performers and authentic deliveries. We’ve gathered a few of the best Black audiobook narrators in the business and their can't-miss performances.
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Story
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was the greatest jazz composer of the twentieth century - and an impenetrably enigmatic personality whom no one, not even his closest friends, claimed to understand. The grandson of a slave, he dropped out of high school to become one of the world's most famous musicians, a showman of incomparable suavity who was as comfortable in Carnegie Hall as in the nightclubs where he honed his style.
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This audiobook needs music
- By John on 04-08-14
By: Terry Teachout
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Jazz
- By: Toni Morrison
- Narrated by: Toni Morrison
- Length: 3 hrs
- Abridged
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In the winter of 1926, when everybody everywhere sees nothing but good things ahead, Joe Trace, middle-aged door-to-door salesman of Cleopatra beauty products, shoots his teenage lover to death. At the funeral, Joe’s wife, Violet, attacks the girl’s corpse. This novel “transforms a familiar refrain of jilted love into a bold, sustaining time of self-knowledge and discovery. Its rhythms are infectious” (People).
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The audio is not the same as the book
- By Rocio on 03-29-16
By: Toni Morrison
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Mark Twain
- By: Geoffrey C. Ward, Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
- Narrated by: Bill Meisle
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
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Meet the man behind the biggest persona either side of the Mississippi, in this audio companion to the Ken Burns film of the same name. Burns, Geoffrey Ward, and Dayton Duncan pull together a treasure trove of information on the man formerly known as Samuel Clemens, using published and unpublished sources. Also, browse all Mark Twain titles.
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Re read
- By G. Robert on 01-29-03
By: Geoffrey C. Ward, and others
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The National Parks
- America's Best Idea
- By: Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
- Narrated by: Ken Burns
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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America's national parks spring from an idea as radical as the Declaration of Independence: that the nation's most magnificent and sacred places should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. In this evocative narrative, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan delve into the history of the park idea.
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"See America First", and often...
- By Christopher on 09-17-09
By: Dayton Duncan, and others
What listeners say about Jazz
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jonathan Taylor
- 03-23-21
Appreciate your music collection more!
Blown away by the full story of the music I’ve enjoyed listening to since the mid-90’s. If you love jazz, you will hear it more deeply after listening to this narrative. Levar Burton’s reading is spot on, with “just right” voicings for Louis Armstrong & Miles.
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- Michael Creech
- 12-29-17
loved it
great great book. Very comprehensive, particularly in the early years. It put together a history that I had not quite been aware of. Highly recommended.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ken
- 02-07-03
Good content but reading not clear
The book is very interesting, but I find it hard to follow: the reader drops his voice at the end of sentences or phrases, often does not pronounce names clearly, and does not pause at major transitions. I find myself needing to backspace the player to try to hear something I missed, often without success.
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21 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-10-19
Levar Burton
He has a stupendous voice. My children grew up with his Reading Rainbow and loved it. The subject is fascinating as well & better for me than some of the other jazz books I listened to.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Julio
- 02-11-13
Buena historia y pobre ilustración musical
La historia de la música de America me pareció muy completa.
Me hubiera gustado que hubiese contenido mas muestras musicales relacionadas con los protagonistas.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jordan
- 06-02-21
Loved it then and now.
Initially I read this book while struggling to finish a music degree, now years later I loved going through it again as it inspires me to continue teaching music.
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1 person found this helpful
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- bookswithheart
- 01-19-21
Fantastic book and loved, loved the narration
I thought I was playing this for my musician husband to enjoy, but I was so taken with the story and the excellent narration that I stayed up to the wee hours, enthralled by the fascinating details of the lives and music of so many of the jazz greats.
One of my fave non-fiction books ever! Thanks for the wonderful and fascinating journey!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Denise
- 04-12-04
Packed with information
I love to hear the history behind the music, and this book is very detailed. It is my first download, and first audio book. I find Mr. Burton's voice very distinct, and animated. Contrary to a previous review, I have no trouble understanding what is being said. I recommend any one read it, not only is it the story behind the music, it is a seeminly decent portrayal of the culture of the periods covered in the book. IF you enjoy jazz, I suggest you download this book for a better understanding of its development and key artists. Enjoy, I did, and will again!
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10 people found this helpful
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- John A. Brown
- 01-06-24
a brief history of jazz
not enough music to illustrate the narrative. major and minor stories given equal space and credit.
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- David
- 01-21-08
Captivating...
Full of information and short stories about the musicians that contributed to the genisis and evolution of jazz. I found myself struggling to pause my listening due to available time constraints. However,I always looked forward to pick up where I left off. The only improvement suggestion I could offer is some additional samples of some of the compositions that the narrator was describing throughout this book.
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8 people found this helpful