THE JAZZMEN How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America

Dominic Hoffman narrates this moving audiobook with reverence and excitement as the author examines the cultural contributions of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie. With his strong tone and gravelly timbre, Hoffman narrates with fidelity to every nuance and theme in this eloquent work. All three iconic front men were showmen as much as musicians, and all suffered the racism of their time. Music journalist Larry Tye is unsparing in his descriptions of the racist underbelly of their popularity with white audiences and compassionate in his portraits of the musicians' hardscrabble beginnings and rise to fame. More about the men and their culture than their music, this thoughtful portrait of grit and human frailty will please a wide range of audiobook lovers. T.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2024]