Numerous jazz fans in Germany have grown up with Arrigo Polillo's history of jazz and its personalities. Now, the updated and expanded edition of this jazz classic is being released as a paperback. In the first part, Polillo traces the historical development of jazz, from its roots in folklore, minstrels, and ragtime, through New Orleans, Chicago, New York, and Kansas City, from swing to bebop, and further to cool jazz, hardbop, and free jazz, culminating in rock in Europe. The author explains musical expressions such as ragtime, rhythm and blues, gospel, and free jazz always in relation to their social and cultural historical context. The second part introduces the great personalities of jazz: Sidney Bechet, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Keith Jarrett, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Douglas, and many more.