JAZZ

The first tape starts with a mellow jazz riff, signaling a special experience for listeners of the audiobook adaptation of Jazz, which is the companion book for the newest Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns public television documentary (debuting in January 2001). LeVar Burton's gentle voice can be down-home plain or uptown sophisticated, depending on which jazz musician he is quoting in this history of America's unique music. He handles the segues from text to the numerous exemplary musical passages effortlessly and seems to know just when to pause to give listeners a moment to digest the wealth of information in the audiobook. The musical pieces themselves are essential to the story and appear just when the listener needs to hear the music being described. Some listeners undoubtedly will want more than the 38 pieces included, but those that are used serve to complete the listening experience without overwhelming the narrative of what is, after all, an audiobook. A.C.S. 2002 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]