Hard Bop: Jazz and Black Music 1955-1965

Hard bop, the mid-1950s resurgence of bebop, was an eclectic movement that encompassed many diverse styles of music, as Rosenthal ( Loves of the Poets ) spiritedly demonstrates here. His encyclopedic overview covers the accomplishments of the jazz ``greats'' of the period, from the lyrical compositions of Benny Golson and Gigi Gryce, the soul jazz of saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and the ``bad'' trumpet of Lee Morgan to the heterodox talents of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Relating hard bop to gospel, blues and black popular traditions, the study emphasizes its roots in the dark, sinister mood of ghettos and discusses its demise after the 1960s as many blacks joined the middle class, moved out of inner cities and were increasingly influenced by white culture. Lively prose and perceptive characterization of musicians and their performances make the book a welcome resource for jazz fans and music historians. (Apr.)