The Jazz Fiction Anthology

by Sascha Feinstein (Editor), David Rife (Editor)

A gathering of the best jazz fiction from the 1920s to the present, this anthology includes 20th-century fiction by Eudora Welty, James Baldwin, Richard Yates, and others, plus important recent work from writers such as Yusef Komunyakaa, Xu Xi, and Amiri Baraka. Together these artists demonstrate the strong influence of jazz on fiction. That influence can be felt in prose styles shaped by jazz―freewheeling, dramatic, conversational, improvisatory; in stories of players and listeners searching for what lies beyond the music's aesthetic power; and in the ambience of the jazz performance as captured by the written word. What sounds throughout these stories is the universal voice of humanity that is the essence of the music.

Genres: Fiction, Jazz

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book after reading "Sonny's Blues" from author James Baldwin for a class assignment, and I found a number of good stories in this anthology. The premise is a collection of stories that involve jazz. I particularly enjoyed reading some of the classic authors' works, including Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughest, Eudora Welty. My favorite stories were Phil Kawans's "Dead Jazz Guys," set in New Zealand with Maori cultural references, and David Huddle's "Tenorman: A Novella" about the last days of a fictional master-saxophone player, his music and his effect on those around him. I'd recommend this book for anyone looking to widen your perspective on African-American literature or stories relating to jazz!

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a while to get through this book, partially because of my schedule, but also of the different uses of jazz as a narrative device. TO some, it was diagetic - where jazz is played or is central - or non-diabetic, where jazz was a backdrop to the action or thought process. People across all strata, narrative treatments from the absurd to the absolute literal.

I enjoyed more works than not, and the range that was explored was extraordinary. Some were perfect for reading with some Blue Note vinyl, some a rollicking blues in Harlem, a few in some boardroom on a high floor. Names were dropped throughout. Some authors you've herald of, some you haven't.

What I've come to appreciate is the wording and language used to describe jazz performance - in fact, another book I've read recently covers that - and I don't know if it's cultural or what, but I think the authors who decide to tackle this do that very well. What kind of music do you hear when you hear "full of chord changes" as opposed to "harmonious, but not at the same time"?