How to Listen to Jazz

By: Ted Gioia

Narrated by: Peter Ganim

A "radiantly accomplished" (Wall Street Journal) music scholar presents an accessible introduction to the art of listening to jazz

In How to Listen to Jazz, award-winning music scholar Ted Gioia presents a lively introduction to one of America's premier art forms. He tells us what to listen for in a performance and includes a guide to today's leading jazz musicians. From Louis Armstrong's innovative sounds to the jazz-rock fusion of Miles Davis, Gioia covers the music's history and reveals the building blocks of improvisation. A true love letter to jazz by a foremost expert, How to Listen to Jazz is a must-read for anyone who's ever wanted to understand and better appreciate America's greatest contribution to music.

Critic reviews

"How to Listen to Jazz is an effort to teach casual listeners how 'careful listening can demystify virtually all of the intricacies and marvels of jazz.'"—New York Times

"How to Listen to Jazz fills an important and obvious gap by offering a sensible and jargon-free introduction to what Gioia calls 'the most joyous sound invented during the entire course of twentieth-century music.' The book deserves a place alongside such classic works of jazz criticism as Martin Williams's The Jazz Tradition, Will Friedwald's Jazz Singing, the books of Gary Giddins and Gioia's own The History of Jazz."—Washington Post

"[How to Listen to Jazz is a] satisfying new book.... One of the best features of the book is a set of 'music maps,' as Mr. Gioia calls them, that serve as a guide to individual recordings."—Wall Street Journal

“Mr. Gioia could not have done a better job. Through him, jazz might even find new devotees.”
—Economist

"How to Listen to Jazz is a packed and useful introduction to the medium with suggestions and aids for the listener who wants to gain entrance to a rich and complicated body of work."—Weekly Standard

“Amid the cacophony of the past year, one paean to improvised order emerged from the pen of music critic Ted Gioia. That book, How to Listen to Jazz, deserves your undivided engagement.”
—Brock Dahl, Washington Free Beacon

"How to Listen to Jazz is a thorough, impassioned guide to a sound that tends either to inspire deep, almost religious devotion or cause eyes to go crossed...[Gioia] elucidates the music in a way that increases the listener's sense of awe and wonder, rather than supplants it."—Columbia Daily Tribune

"Gioia's engaging yet authoritative style makes How to Listen to Jazz not just a valuable primer but a delight to read."—City Journal

A perfect way...to begin an understanding of a music that is, in truth, very, very easy to love."—Buffalo News

“[Gioia] walks fans through a crash course in jazz appreciation that’s suitable for newcomers and intermediate listeners alike…His prose is…inviting and often playful… Most valuable is the extensive catalogue of recommendations, not just of the genre’s top performers but of 150 contemporary jazz musicians—a list that new fans can use to kickstart their journey, and experienced ones can reference to keep up with the form’s continuing evolution.”—Publishers Weekly

"How to Listen to Jazz is a fresh, clearly written and infinitely usable book that should put the jazz novice on track."—Library Journal

"A pretense-free primer on learning to appreciate jazz.... Curious neophytes can start here."—Mojo

A great book

A great review of the genre, including a discussion of form and major innovators and deviants. Useful even to an intermediate musician just getting into playing jazz. It's easy to get lost, but this book serves as a simple and effective anchor.

Not really a "how to"

This is more of a history than a guide to listening. Goia's histories are good.

Excellent work

An important book that actually teaches listening strategies. passionately read. a must read for anyone who is interested in getting into jazz.

Solid Introduction

This book is a solid introduction to listening to Jazz. I know a little music theory and can play a couple of instruments badly. I wish there was something that had just a little more of a technical aspect to it, which I believe Mr. Gioia could easily provide. His book about Jazz Standards is also good as a reference when listening or playing.

Love Jazz, now I understand why!

I have been listening to jazz for many years now. I even write about local jazz musicians to promote their performances. I loved the way Ted Gioia treated his presentation. His vocabulary is rich and evocative. His enthusiasm infectious. His rich knowledge enviable. Listen. You will be happy you did.