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Jazz ABZ: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits with Art Print
The award-winning book by celebrated jazz composer Wynton Marsalis is now available with an exclusive art print by illustrator Paul Rogers.
The award-winning book by celebrated jazz composer Wynton Marsalis is now available with an exclusive art print by illustrator Paul Rogers.
Featured on National Public Radio’s ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Winner of a Bologna Ragazzi Award
A Norman Sugarman Honor Book for Excellence in Children’s Biography
An International Reading Association Children’s Book Award Winner
Winner of a Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry
Four starred reviews (BOOKLIST, KIRKUS REVIEWS, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)
Back matter includes biographical sketches, notes on the poetic forms, and information about the author and the illustrator.
The award-winning book by celebrated jazz composer Wynton Marsalis is now available with an exclusive art print by illustrator Paul Rogers.
Featured on National Public Radio’s ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Winner of a Bologna Ragazzi Award
A Norman Sugarman Honor Book for Excellence in Children’s Biography
An International Reading Association Children’s Book Award Winner
Winner of a Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry
Four starred reviews (BOOKLIST, KIRKUS REVIEWS, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)
Back matter includes biographical sketches, notes on the poetic forms, and information about the author and the illustrator.
76 pages, Hardcover
Published September 11, 2007
3 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Wynton Marsalis
76 books52 followersWynton Marsalis has been described as the most outstanding jazz artist and composer of his generation. He has helped propel jazz to the forefront of American culture through his brilliant performances, recordings, broadcasts, and compositions as well as through his leadership as the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC). Wynton Marsalis is the music director of the world-renowned Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, which spends more than half the year on tour. He also hosts the popular Jazz for Young People concerts and helped lead the effort to construct JALC's new home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, the first education, performance, and broadcast facility devoted to jazz, which opened in October 2004.
Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1961. He began his classical training on the trumpet at age twelve and entered the Juilliard School at age seventeen. That same year, he joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the acclaimed band in which generations of emerging jazz artists honed their craft, and subsequently made his recording debut as a leader in 1982. Since then, he has made more than forty jazz and classical recordings, earning nine Grammy Awards. In 1983, he became the first and only artist to win classical and jazz Grammys in the same year and repeated this feat in 1984. His rich body of compositions includes the oratorio BLOOD ON THE FIELDS, for which he was awarded the first-ever Pulitzer Prize in music for a jazz composition.
Wynton Marsalis is an internationally respected teacher and spokesperson for music education and has received honorary doctorates from dozens of universities and colleges throughout the United States. Britain's senior conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, granted Wynton Marsalis honorary membership, the Academy's highest decoration for a non-British citizen. In France, the Ministry of Culture awarded him the most prestigious decoration of the French Republic, the rank of Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature. He also was appointed as a U.N. Messenger of Peace by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1991.
JAZZ A B Z is Wynton Marsalis's first book for children. A resident of New York City, he is the father of three boys.
Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1961. He began his classical training on the trumpet at age twelve and entered the Juilliard School at age seventeen. That same year, he joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the acclaimed band in which generations of emerging jazz artists honed their craft, and subsequently made his recording debut as a leader in 1982. Since then, he has made more than forty jazz and classical recordings, earning nine Grammy Awards. In 1983, he became the first and only artist to win classical and jazz Grammys in the same year and repeated this feat in 1984. His rich body of compositions includes the oratorio BLOOD ON THE FIELDS, for which he was awarded the first-ever Pulitzer Prize in music for a jazz composition.
Wynton Marsalis is an internationally respected teacher and spokesperson for music education and has received honorary doctorates from dozens of universities and colleges throughout the United States. Britain's senior conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, granted Wynton Marsalis honorary membership, the Academy's highest decoration for a non-British citizen. In France, the Ministry of Culture awarded him the most prestigious decoration of the French Republic, the rank of Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature. He also was appointed as a U.N. Messenger of Peace by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1991.
JAZZ A B Z is Wynton Marsalis's first book for children. A resident of New York City, he is the father of three boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 24, 2013
Part children’s book, part poetry collection, this alphabetized introduction to jazz artists is a must for all parents who value artistic learning! The author and illustrator picked 26 major figures in jazz and then provided a poem and portrait of each one. The combination creates a beautiful effect, a book that flows just like jazz itself, through the history of the musical movement.
The poetic book combines dozens of different writing styles. At the end there are biographies of each jazz artist and a page recommending albums from each performer. There’s also a section describing the various poetic styles used throughout the text (ode, haiku, calligram, sonnet, free verse, etc.) This gives kids a chance to learn about jazz and poetry at the same time. What an excellent pairing!
“A songwriter, a sonneteer, a sorcerer of sorghum sonatas, so sweetly sung.”
“My bass drum can blacken a big man’s eyes and injure a hero’s pride.”
The poetic book combines dozens of different writing styles. At the end there are biographies of each jazz artist and a page recommending albums from each performer. There’s also a section describing the various poetic styles used throughout the text (ode, haiku, calligram, sonnet, free verse, etc.) This gives kids a chance to learn about jazz and poetry at the same time. What an excellent pairing!
“A songwriter, a sonneteer, a sorcerer of sorghum sonatas, so sweetly sung.”
“My bass drum can blacken a big man’s eyes and injure a hero’s pride.”
April 17, 2012
Pretty packaging inside and out. Designed to feel like the phonographs of old. I bought my copy used for penny and it arrived in pristine condition, signed by Paul Rogers with a quick illustration of a hand dropping a needle on a record. This will look so nice along with the other ABC books in the Room 407 collection.
April 25, 2018
This large-format book sets itself a towering task and largely succeeds to perform a complicated improvisation between: 1) Marsalis’s poetic accounting for each jazz titan, A to Z, and using heavily the alphabet letter assigned to each musician, and 2) Paul Rogers’ accompanying illustrations. Rogers’ illustrations shine. Marsalis’s poetry sometimes seems strained but still capably achieves his part of the project. The book aims to also instruct, as jazz historian Phil Schapp contributes bio sketches on each musician, and the appendices also include “Notes on the Poetic Forms” that Marsalis used for his verse. The book package is exquisite, mirroring an old 78 rpm record. And the title...Jazz ABZ...is brilliant. This book may be logged in the juvenile category, but it is a great resource for jazz, music, and poetry lovers, adult readers, and younger readers who have a larger capacity for music and history.
September 10, 2023
This is such a beautiful book. What first appears as a picture book utilizing jazz legends to represent each letter of the alphabet, turns out to be a textbook in jazz history and poetry. A is for the “almighty" Louis Armstrong, B is for Basie, C is for Coltrane, D is for Davis, E is for Ellington… In this simply stunning book, Wynton Marsalis combines his love and knowledge of jazz's most celebrated artists with an amazing diversity of poetic forms. Accompanying Wynton’s poetry is the gorgeous, poster-style art of Paul Rogers. The book’s nostalgic feel is heightened by its beautiful design, which is laid out to simulate an old 78 LP, and cut to mimic a vintage record sleeve. Along with the poems and illustrations, the book includes biographies of the featured musicians, notes on the various poetic forms, information about the author and the illustrator, and even a suggested discography. This book is pure art, and I absolutely love every single page of it.
August 24, 2018
This was really good! Surprisingly good. There were 26 musicians in here, all African American, all Jazz musicians. Each one was associated with a letter, and that letter became the theme for the poem (as well as the subject, obviously). There was a variety of poem styles, and each one was had an illustration to go with it. The absolute best part was that each artist had a mini biography in the back, as well as a glossary, and an explanation on the different kinds of poems. I might not have understood all of the references, but I still felt that this was highly accessible for people of all ages.
February 16, 2019
They should make this children's book into a Read Along book with an accompanying CD; it would be a pleasure to hear Marsalis perform his poems (and maybe a little sample of the 26 jazz musicians covered too). Very informative, even has biographical sketches at the end and notes on the poetic forms.
July 17, 2019
Wow!
I was lucky enough to stumble across this gem in the SFPL and loved it. I am so glad Paul Rogers came up with this book.
I was lucky enough to stumble across this gem in the SFPL and loved it. I am so glad Paul Rogers came up with this book.
April 22, 2021
A fantastic look at the alphabet.
May 17, 2021
Superbly illustrated amazing work! Wynton Marsalis is as awesome with poetry as he is with music!
April 11, 2022
My kids weee amazing by the artwork in this book. We read the lyrical prose and searched for the songs on YouTube. Reading and learning while dancing is what we needed today.
July 16, 2023
Somewhat overwhelming, but impressive
In our kid’s collection at the library, might be better in the adult section
In our kid’s collection at the library, might be better in the adult section
May 4, 2015
By far the most interesting children’s book I’ve ever read, Jazz ABZ details 26 jazz greats from Louis Armstrong to Dizzy Gillespie. The first portion of the book features a set of 26 poems, each based on a jazz great whose name corresponds to that letter of the alphabet. However, each piece of poetry is written in a different style such as acrostic, haiku, or free verse. A detailed notes section on each style of writing is featured in the back of the book, as well as a biographical snapshot of each musician written by Bill Schaap, a curator of Jaz at Lincoln Center. These two writers describe the artists in a way that reflects the personality and style of jazz itself; light, soulful, and vibrant.
The illustrations by Paul Rogers also fit the same bill, using ink and acrylics to make detailed designs through simple shapes with bold, heavily contrasted colors. The artist portraits, along with the overall design of the book’s visual elements mimic the style of art pieces and album art that would generally be associated with New Orleans, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles jazz scenes. The title page and end pages also include unique designs and information, with a vinyl-style front and a list of “songs on record” in the back with a set of handy reference numbers if you went looking for some great jazz music to listen to.
This book does a wonderful job of honoring many of the people who made jazz what it is today, and features just as much care and characters as the greatest works of the artists honored within.
The illustrations by Paul Rogers also fit the same bill, using ink and acrylics to make detailed designs through simple shapes with bold, heavily contrasted colors. The artist portraits, along with the overall design of the book’s visual elements mimic the style of art pieces and album art that would generally be associated with New Orleans, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles jazz scenes. The title page and end pages also include unique designs and information, with a vinyl-style front and a list of “songs on record” in the back with a set of handy reference numbers if you went looking for some great jazz music to listen to.
This book does a wonderful job of honoring many of the people who made jazz what it is today, and features just as much care and characters as the greatest works of the artists honored within.
February 9, 2009
This is a poetry ABC book dedicated to all things jazz. Okay, maybe not all things jazz. But it's a start. 26 jazz musicians. 26 poetry forms. Great potential, right? The book starts off--as well it should--with Louis Armstrong--and ends with Dizzy Gillespie. In between we've got artists like Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan. The book is illustrated by Paul Rogers. The poetic forms covered--how many have you heard of???--are: accumulative, blues, list, word play, meter play, preached, limerick, substitution, performance, ode, insult, lyric, free verse, nursery rhyme, abstract, pantoum, acrostic, rondeau, beat poem, haiku, calligram, sonnet, prose, ballad, tanka, and skeltonic verse.
I can see Jazz ABZ serving several purposes: for jazz enthusiasts, for music appreciation, for poetry appreciation. The last two especially might be something for teachers to consider. A great crossover option as well...seeing how students could connect the music of these artists with the history and culture of the jazz age...and perhaps discuss how these poems succeed (or fail for that matter) to do the artists justice. Would you be able to write a poem on a favorite musician? Would you be able to do it in a structured way? I know I couldn't do it. But I'm glad that Marsalis did!
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
April 9, 2016
Do you love jazz? Do Louis Armstrong, John Coltraine, and Duke Ellington fill your playlists? If so, then you have to read Jazz ABZ by Wynton Marsalis. It is a poetry anthology dedicated to all the jazz greats. It’s set up by alphabet and each letter represents a specific jazz great or a jazz element, i.e. P = Charlie Parker and Q = Modern Jazz Quartet. Every entry includes a poem (list poem, limerick, ode, haiku, etc.) and an illustration. Both the words and the art eulogize the artist or element. Wynton, being a great jazz artist himself, is able to bring the music alive in his words. His understanding of the music and adoration of the artists is evident.
After the poems, there are biographical sketches of each artist and notes on the poetic forms. These are very informational and support the poetry. The target audience for this anthology would be jazz lovers from 12 – adult. I am a jazz fan. I learned to love jazz through my grandfather. When I would visit, he would play record after record and tell me about the artists. I wish I could have read this book to him, he would have loved it.
After the poems, there are biographical sketches of each artist and notes on the poetic forms. These are very informational and support the poetry. The target audience for this anthology would be jazz lovers from 12 – adult. I am a jazz fan. I learned to love jazz through my grandfather. When I would visit, he would play record after record and tell me about the artists. I wish I could have read this book to him, he would have loved it.
August 1, 2010
format: poetry
age: middle to high school
protagonist: n/a
Marsalis, M. (2005). Jazz A-B-Z: An A to Z collection of jazz portraits. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Marsalis presents his version of an alphabet book that goes beyond just learning the A,B,Cs. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by an African American jazz legend (A is for Armstrong, etc.) and then coupled with a poem that evokes the various artists’ styles. There are twenty-six different poetic styles represented, one for each letter. To experience the full impact of this book, one would have to have an extensive knowledge about each of the different artists’ styles so as to better understand how the poetic format and elements emphasize and represent each artist. This book would lend itself well to any poetry classroom to study the various poetic formats and elements. Having a CD with the artists’ music on it to accompany this book would be a great addition and allow students to try to connect how the poetic form for an artist relates to his/her musical style. (Grades 8 and up)
age: middle to high school
protagonist: n/a
Marsalis, M. (2005). Jazz A-B-Z: An A to Z collection of jazz portraits. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Marsalis presents his version of an alphabet book that goes beyond just learning the A,B,Cs. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by an African American jazz legend (A is for Armstrong, etc.) and then coupled with a poem that evokes the various artists’ styles. There are twenty-six different poetic styles represented, one for each letter. To experience the full impact of this book, one would have to have an extensive knowledge about each of the different artists’ styles so as to better understand how the poetic format and elements emphasize and represent each artist. This book would lend itself well to any poetry classroom to study the various poetic formats and elements. Having a CD with the artists’ music on it to accompany this book would be a great addition and allow students to try to connect how the poetic form for an artist relates to his/her musical style. (Grades 8 and up)
September 25, 2008
Marsalis praises jazz greats from A to Z, using a panoply of poetic forms to fit his subjects. Nat King Cole (for the letter N) is captured in a fun reworking of the nursery rhyme "Old King Cole," which communicates his status as the pop arm of jazz, while Thelonius Monk (letter T) gets a haiku reminiscent of his own short, sharp themes.
The illustrations are gorgeous! Much as Marsalis move from form to form to fit his subject, Rogers captures each artist with a painting evocative of their personality and musical style.
The illustrations are gorgeous! Much as Marsalis move from form to form to fit his subject, Rogers captures each artist with a painting evocative of their personality and musical style.
March 12, 2011
This is worthwhile coffee table book of poetry and art that is presented in the form of a 78RPM record album which celebrates twenty-six jazz greats, one for each letter of the alphabet. Paul Rogers first created the list and then provided the illustrations. Wynton Marsalis composed the poems for each of the jazz greats using 26 poetic forms from sonnet, skeltonic, haiku to limerick. A description of each poetic form, together with a biography of each jazz great, is included in the book. I liked the haiku poem for Thelonious Monk: "Tonight.....there's Thelonious ticklin'.
December 12, 2017
There are many aspects of this 2005 Informational book that I really enjoyed. First, the illustrations were beautiful. Second, for every letter of the alphabet there was a long stanza of alliterations. This was extremely fun to read, and definitely created a book of tongue twisters. Lastly, the book introduced quite a bit of culture. Thus, I believe that many, perhaps older students, would have a fun time reading it. Both for the sake of enjoying the cultural information, but also for the fun of attempting to read it without hesitation: it would make a fun challenge for them, and for anyone!
January 26, 2008
Vintage poster-style illustrations and meticulously crafted poems pay tribute to the skill, spirit and style of twenty-six jazz greats, from A to Z.
Listen to our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
Listen to our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
June 30, 2009
Awesome to read aloud (hear me, librarians?), this book uses several different kinds of poetry (hear me, English teachers?) to describe jazz greats (hear me, music teachers?) accompanied by bold art (hear me, art teachers?). Big for the shelves but so beautiful you'll want your own copy. My favorite poem? "Coleman Hawkins" for the way it sounds just like music.
June 18, 2015
Bold, graphic illustrations and poetry in various forms, each reflecting the style of music created by the musicians representing each letter. Fantastic! I don't know that I'd be able to use any of this in a storytime, but I would most definitely use it for English classes, music classes and Af-Am History month. Love the book design, too.
Read
July 2, 2016I'm sure I would appreciate this book more if I knew/cared anything about jazz, but it's still an impressive book -- a paired painting and poem for each of 26 jazz artists, followed by mini-bios of each of them and a glossary of the various poetic forms used (I was an English major and didn't know all the form) and a recommended album for each musician.
January 4, 2008
i wish every kid in the world could read this book and discover jazz. hands down, no matter your age, you will love this book... each portrait of an artist is written as a poem and includes lyrics to scat along with and sometimes even music to play as well....READ THIS!
May 13, 2015
Amazing presentation of some of the most illustrious jazz musicians that ever claimed the name. A wonderful presentation for older children or children at heart laid out in poetic format that is engrossing and funny. Wonderful!
January 29, 2013
This alphabet book is marketed for youngsters ages 4 - 8. But because the collection contains 26 works of art, 26 biographical sketches, 26 poetic forms, and 26 recommended jazz records, it would make a great coffee table book for any jazz fan.
December 30, 2016
I've never read poetry that was so upbeat, so fun, or so intensely clever. There's not a single poem I read less than twice, and even now I'm itching to pick it back up and go through again. Quite complicated language for a collection of children's poetry, but I loved every second of it!!
January 8, 2008
Since I am not a poetry person, that part of this book was tougher for me. However, I enjoyed the word play and learning about the Jazz greats.
October 15, 2008
For Jazz fans only.
Want to read
February 7, 2009This looks amazing - would like to have a copy to keep :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews