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". . .the greatest and most recognizable themes and artists in jazz, from Louis Armstrong to Sonny Rollins, from Dixieland to Big Band Swing."

From: Liner notes of RCA-Victor's Idiot's Guide to Jazz

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Idiot's Guide to Jazz is a rather poor 'guide to jazz'. In fact, it is really not quite a 'guide' at all. It is instead rather like an overheard conversation, a few words caught in your mind as the elevator door closes, a snippet of words, of music, that leaves you wondering what the rest of the story, or song, might tell you.


Like tasting from the tiny sample spoons at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store, the tracks on this CD feature just a tantalizing hint of what a full serving of ice cream, err . . .the song might taste, err . . .sound like.

Just as the samples of ice cream at Baskin-Robbins might immediately bring you intense oral pleasure, these sound tracks will bring a similar aural pleasure to you.


Opening with just the first few bars of Glenn Miller's In the Mood, a mere fifty nine seconds of instant recognition of a bit of the soul of jazz music, Idiot's Guide to Jazz delivers short bursts of music to the listener.

From a short of 31 seconds of be-bop (52nd Street Theme) from the trumpet of Dizzy Gillespie to a long of one minute and 27 seconds of the Duke Ellington-orchestrated wah-wah-ing intro to I'm Beginning to See the Light we are treated to oh-so-short but oh-so-sweet samples of 66 classic jazz works.


Featuring original tracks from as early as 1926, many of these brief samples will be recognized from movies, TV shows, elevator music, music played while you wait on hold, and music played in the shops at the mall. All are digitally 'clean', having none of the 'snap-crackle-pop' that you might expect from these nearly 'ancient' recordings.


Limited to those artists with works in the RCA-Victor catalog, Idiot's Guide to Jazz none the less delivers a great introduction to many of the earlier compositions of the traditional and cool jazz genres. Complete liner notes include the original title of the CD from which the song was excerpted and the year in which it was originally recorded. That information (and the use of a good search engine) can take you deep into the heart and soul of all things jazz.


— The Bottom Line —

Check out Idiot's Guide to Jazz to broaden your exposure to the roots of jazz music. You'll find your toes tapping, as corny as that sounds.

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"Just the facts, ma'am"

Title: Idiot's Guide to Jazz
Total Time: 57:30
Composers: Various
Release Date: January 1997
Label: RCA-Victor
Ages recommended: Teen and older


Note: A complete song list is available by following the 'Buy It' link to Half.com at the bottom of this review. More info is also available at Amazon dot com.



Reference web sites:

Jazz Online
http://www.jazzonln.com/

Alyn Shipton's 100 Jazz Profiles, BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/jazzprofiles/

http://www.redhotjazz.com/



Note More 'lean-n-mean' Epinions reviews are available at the 'Newbie' do be 'Lean-n-Mean' . . . 'Lean-n-Mean-Two' essay page.


Recommended: Yes