May We Suggest? This post contains recommendations from a CPL librarian. To get your own customized recommendation, just fill out the May We Suggest form — you can expect results within 10 days. All suggestions can be found on the May We Suggest blog or by liking May We Suggest on facebook.

Make Music with the Greats

May 24, 2016 | strande
Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews

A Grammy-nominated headliner for the New Orleans Jazz Fest describes his childhood in Tremé and how he came to be a bandleader by age six.

Frankie liked to sing by John Seven
How Jelly Roll Morton invented jazz by Jonah Winter

Introduces the story of Jelly Roll Morton, who overcame poverty and family strife to succeed in performing music, eventually crafting the style of music known as jazz.

Benny Goodman & Teddy Wilson : taking the stage as the first black-and-white jazz band in history by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Celebrates the 1936 debut of the Benny Goodman quartet with Teddy Wilson in Chicago, considered to be the first widely seen integrated jazz performance.

Little Melba and her big trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown

"A biography of African American musician Melba Doretta Liston, a virtuoso musician who played the trombone and composed and arranged music for many of the great jazz musicians of the twentieth century. Includes afterword, discography, and sources"--.

When Marian sang : the true recital of Marian Anderson, the voice of a century by Pam Muñoz Ryan

An introduction to the life of Marian Anderson, extraordinary singer and civil rights activist, who was the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, whose life and career encouraged social change.

Lives of the musicians : good times, bad times (and what the neighbors thought) by Kathleen Krull
Ludwig van Beethoven : composer of the classical and romantic eras by Jeff Mapua