Amadie, Jimmy, Jazz Improv: How to Play It and Teach It, Thornton Publications, 1991.

This book uses a unique method to teach students, teachers, and professional musicians the techniques of improvising their music. The book bases its lessons on the tonal concept of tension and release.

Gioia, Ted, The History of Jazz, Oxford University Press, 1997.

This book gives a thorough history of the roots of jazz in Africa to its place in music at the end of the twentieth century. Along the way, the author explores various jazz hotspots in cities such as New York, Chicago, New Orleans, and Kansas City. The author also discusses the musicians who made jazz popular in its day.

Kirchner, Bill, ed., The Oxford Companion to Jazz, Oxford University Press, 2000.

This book contains sixty essays that collectively discuss all aspects of jazz history and culture, including overviews of different styles, discussions...