Jazz: The Essential Companion

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Prentice Hall Press, 1988 - Music - 562 pages
Covering the entire spectrum of jazz from its origins in ragtime through the latest developments, there are important essays on all the major jazz figures, lucid definitions of jazz terms, and expert critical assessments of every player's major recordings. 153 black-and-white illustrations.

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About the author (1988)

Ian Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland on April 21, 1933. He received a degree in English and a teaching certificate from King's College. While there, he began playing the trumpet. After he served in the British Army, he played with numerous jazz groups including the EmCee Five, Rendell/Carr Quintet, and Nucleus. He wrote for several jazz publications, contributed to several jazz reference books and was a consultant for television documentaries about Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett. He also wrote books including Music Outside: Contemporary Jazz in Britain; Miles Davis: A Critical Biography; and Keith Jarrett: The Man and His Music. He died from complications after pneumonia and a series of mini-strokes on February 25, 2009 at the age of 75.

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