This jazz history diagram, history of jazz chart, or jazz graph, of the interrelationships of Jazz Styles was gleaned from jazz historian, Joachim Berendt’s The Jazz Book. This book is indispensable to any person seeking a comprehensive survey of the history of jazz music. I have many times just wished I could see a visualization of how what I am hearing on the stage (need some bebop history in my life) fits in the larger picture of the jazz genre. Berendt masterfully covers the evolution of this complex music from early jazz and several parallel perspectives, helping readers absorb history from more than one direction. The structure of the book brings jazz and blues history to life and is a pleasure to browse.
I have adapted the map somewhat to include more specifically some sub-genres of jazz music. Of course, blues history has had a major impact on the beginning of jazz music history. What we call jazz today includes so many offshoots and spinoffs and sub-genres that any brief history of jazz graph will be inadequate.
Please maintain a healthy skepticism towards this two-dimensional representation of a thoroughly three-dimensional culture. In the creation of jazz, some things that are quite important may not be on this map and some things that are relatively less important may be, merely by whims of geometry. I welcome your critique and contributions to make this chart better.
history of jazz chart, or History Of jazz graph
Review
“Absolutely superb, probably the best organized book on jazz that I have ever read. Invaluable for reference and truly scholarly as well as entertaining.” —John Hammond, legendary record producer, Columbia Records
“A marvelously erudite yet readable encyclopedia of jazz . . . It could serve as a good introduction for someone just getting interested in the music. And it could also satisfy the omnivorous taste of even the oldest aficionado . . . A worthy addition to anyone’s music library.” —Hartford Courant
“The largest selling jazz history ever . . . Berendt thoroughly covers styles and musicians along with blues, harmony, melody, and other elements of jazz, instruments, vocalists, big bands, and combos.” —Booklist
About the Author
Joachim-Ernst Berendt (1922–2000) an internationally recognized authority on the history of jazz and was the author of over 20 books. His Jazz Book, first published in ’52 is available in many languages. Günther Huesmann (who studied musicology, pedagogy, television and film) is a jazz radio show writer and festival organizer. He continued the revision of The Jazz Book.