CiTR

This is the second of The Jazz Show's "back to school" feature which involves education and entertainment with the classic recording narrated by Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein tells you with musical examples by his piano and his voice plus examples by famous musicians like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Coleman Hawkins, Phil Woods, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and many more. With these examples he tells you what is and what isn't Jazz. He tells you what makes Jazz music unique and he does it with great knowledge and respect. Later in the album Bernstein takes apart an old standard tune and shows you how different Jazz players interpret it. "What is Jazz" is an excellent example of Bernstein's ability to communicate many of the mysteries of music without sounding pedantic and academic. Sit back and enjoy the album even if you have heard it before there is always something to learn from this classic.