Review by Choice Review
In this ninth edition by Cook (deceased) and Morton (independent scholar), readers will find reviews of 14,000 compact discs, 2,000 of which are new, with over 400 new artists listed. In an effort to provide a comprehensive overview, especially for neophytes, this guide presents detailed summaries and evaluations, using a system of one to five stars. This is intended to be a practical guide, not a discography, to aid collectors in developing their own jazz collections. A core collection of about 200 CDs is interspersed and labeled as such with boldface font. Each entry begins with a brief biography; most are one to four lines long. Excluded are blues (a volume is needed for that alone) and certain popular singers (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme). This edition endured the most radical revisions and exhibits some conservation, as many entries were removed that seemed to stand still. Those not easily accessible were also deleted. Some recordings were relegated to "In Brief" sections at the end of major performers' lists. Also reinstated was the index of individual artists. Order within an artist is by recording date. This edition is more balanced internationally than the previous ones. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and general readers interested in developing jazz collections. R. Hartsock University of North Texas
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
