Find Books
You can search the library catalog for books (both print books and e-books) or if you visit the library, you can browse the shelves. Look for these call numbers to find books on jazz music.
- ML102 Jazz music reference works (encyclopedias/dictionaries)
- ML419 Biographies of jazz musicians
- ML3469-3541 Popular music
- ML3544-3776 Folk, national, and ethnic music
NOTE: Most books in print about jazz music are on a display case in the center of the library. You can also browse the 'Discover Jazz Music' bibliography to find a list of books in print related to jazz music
Selected Websites
- AllMusic AllMusic provides comprehensive music info including reviews and biographies. Get recommendations for new music to listen to, stream or own.
- J-DISC - Online Jazz Discography J-DISC is a resource for searching and exploring jazz recordings created by the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University. It places a wealth of information on the recorded legacy of jazz within a single web environment and has a number of unique features. J-DISC can be used to do research on jazz, or simply for exploring the people, repertoire, and culture of jazz. We are including the complete works of significant or representative jazz artists from a broad sample of jazz history (and, with those, their musical networks and repertoire).
- Jazz Discography Project A collector's guide to jazz music CD/FLAC, iTunes/MP3 and vinyl records (LP/EP/45/78, etc.): Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside Records (the big three labels of modern jazz); bebop, cool/west coast, hard bop, modal/mode, free/avant-garde jazz musicians; Miles Davis' personal connections, and more.
- JazzDiscography.com All the discographies listed are generated automatically with the BRIAN application. Most discographies contain not only a detailed session listing, but also an index of compositions performed, an index of issues, and an index of musicians.
- Smithsonian Jazz Collections held by museums, libraries, and archives of the Smithsonian Institution.
Writing Assistance
Do you need help with academic writing, formatting your paper, or citing your sources in APA or other citation styles? Check out the Online Writing Center!
Getting Started with Jazz Music Research
Use these books to get started with research - find biographical info on jazz musicians, notable dates, places, and innovations in jazz music. Most of these books are located in Reference section of the library.
The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz by
The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, second edition is a resource for any serious jazz enthusiast or scholar. Featuring 2750 new entries and 1500 new biographies of musicians who came to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, this new edition draws on the explosion of jazz research over the past dozen years.
Call Number: R ML102.J3 N48 2001ISBN: 9780333691892Publication Date: 2001-01-02
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz by
From birth dates to gig dates and from recordings to television specials, Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler have left no stone unturned in their quest for accurate, detailed information on the careers of 3.300 jazz musicians from around the world.Arranged alphabetically according to last name, each entry of this book chronologically lists the highlights of every jazz musician's career.
Call Number: R ML102 .J3 F39 1999ISBN: 019532000XPublication Date: 2007-04-01
The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians by
This concise dictionary offers definitions of musical terms; succinct characterizations of the various forms of musical composition; entries that identify individual operas, oratorios, symphonic poems, and other works; illustrated descriptions of instruments; and capsule summaries of the lives and careers of composers, performers, and theorists.
ISBN: 0674009789Publication Date: 2002-10-30
Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians by
"The stimulus this handsomely produced volume will provide to research and teaching may well surpass that offered by Dr. Southern's earlier studies. This major accomplishment belongs in the libraries of all individuals and institutions interested in any aspect of American music." Ethnomusiciology
Call Number: R ML105 .S67ISBN: 0313213399Publication Date: 1982-06-30
Find Articles
Use these databases to find scholarly (also called peer-review or refereed) articles about jazz music.
Hours & Contact
HOURS:
Monday-Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
(502) 776-1443 ext. 5117
1000 S. 4th St. Louisville, KY 40203
(2nd Floor of Admin & Library Building)
Get Walking Directions From Main Campus
