Walter Dean Myer’s Jazz is a celebration of music and culture. The poems are lyrical and rhythmic bringing the world of jazz and New Orleans to life on the page. Some of the poems feel like the thrumming heartbeat if the bass or rise in a glorious exaltation with the sharp cries of the trumpet. Many of the passages sing across the page, and this is what the producers did when they set these poems to CD. Many of the lines are sung by a male and female voice and jazz music written specifically as accompaniment for these poems play behind the vocals. It’s a unique and beautiful experience and one that perfectly captures the feeling in the book.
MaryAnne Karre of School Library Journal said, “From a New Orleans funeral celebration to be-bop and bluesy torch songs, they perform each piece with a distinctive jazz flavor, without allowing the music to overshadow the poetry. They also take turns reading the introduction, glossary, and timeline, so that the CD becomes a complete performance of the book that can stand on its own. This outstanding package immerses students in the art and history of this capricious and mesmerizing musical form” (2008).
The beautiful illustrations done by Christopher Myers, the poet’s son, bring to mind the unique and lively culture of New Orleans. The musicians are drawn in black ink and the back drops are brilliantly colored in the vivid greens and vibrant purples of a good Mardi Gras celebration. Alternating colors of words, such as in the poem Stride, help build a visual aesthetic for the rhythms of the poems allowing them to burst across the page with proper emphasis like the snap of a snare drum or the robust vocals of a singer.
A brief history of the rise and creation of Jazz music opens the book and it is bookended with a glossary that describes terms with their historical significance woven through the definitions. This information is a great starter for young fans of music or those that truly love jazz.
The audio accompaniment for this poetry collection won an Odyssey in 2008 and the illustrations were a Corretta Scott King honoree.
Myers, Walter Dean. Jazz. Holiday House (2006).
Karre, MaryAnne. (Book Review – Jazz with CD”. School Library Journal (2008). https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAAKtWKk5RskpLzClO1VEqzs9XsiopKgUyC0qUrJSc8vOzlYDs4iolK0MDAxArE8bKAcp7-rn7KoG0AdkBoU4uISBOgZJVdLShjhKQ7ZyfV1KUmVRakl8E5JUn5pSkFimkpCbmKeRWphYVK8XG1gIAtZOsLIAAAAA&R=7873449&dNo=120
Accessed 10 October, 2017.
Ramblings of Jhenry 