In this book, Jacques Réda explores two fundamental elements of jazz music: the blues, which provided jazz with many of its themes; and swing, with its singular rhythms. Focusing on four key big bands (Fletcher Henderson’s, Duke Ellington’s, Jimmie Lunceford’s and Count Basie’s), he analyzes the relationship these bands maintained with the element that was common to all those phenomena – the tempo – and develops a veritable philosophy of jazz.

The book comes with a CD that includes most of the songs referred to.

By a legendary jazz writer, an essay about the blues, swing and the tempo, in four exemplary ensembles, from 1920 to 1945: Fletcher Henderson’s, Duke Ellington’s, Jimmie Lunceford’s and Count Basie’s, a book that develops a veritable philosophy of jazz.