Whether you're a newcomer just beginning to build your library of recordings or a longtime fan looking to deepen your understanding, you are sure to delight in New York Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff's assertive, writerly and deeply knowledgeable collector's guide. Full of opinion and insight, this is an aficionado's take on the one hundred greatest recorded works of jazz.

Ratliff takes you from the early recordings of Louis Armstrong, through Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker's controversial recordings with string orchestras, the lions of the bebop era, and Miles Davis. You will encounter many less-canonized artists - such as Chano Pozo, Jimmy Giuffre, Tommy Flanagan and Greg Osby - who have made significant contributions. There are some surprises too: Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, saxophonist Julius Hemphill and others find a place. Ratliff places each recording in a historical and cultural context, and explains its importance in the development of the form. Taken together, these hundred original essays add up to a thoughtful, authoritative and practical history of jazz, highlighting milestone events, legendary players, critical trends and artistic breakthroughs.

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