first book of jazz by langston hughes

 

"Prolific poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist Langston Hughes is considered one of the fathers of jazz poetry, a literary art form that emerged in the 1920s and eventually became the foundation for modern hip-hop. 

In 1954, the 42-year-old Hughes decided to channel his love of jazz into a sort-of-children’s book that educated young readers about the culture he so loved. The First Book of Jazz was born, taking on the ambitious task of being the first-ever children’s book to review American music, and to this day arguably the best. 

 

Hughes covered every notable aspect of jazz, from the evolution of its eras to its most celebrated icons to its geography and sub-genres, and made a special point of highlighting the essential role of African-American musicians in the genre’s coming of age. Hughes even covered the technicalities of jazz — rhythm, percussion, improvisation, syncopation,blue notes, harmony — with remarkable eloquence that, rather than overwhelming the young reader, exudes the genuine joy of playing."

 

the above description is courtesy the marginalian.org

 

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

the entire book 

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.

can be read at ariel winter's flickr page where he has posted scans of each page.

You can read the full First Book of Jazz at Winter’s Flickr, where he has posted scans of every page.