Jazz music biography books

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This week marks the th birthday of Billie Holiday.

The jazz legend, who died in , was the subject subject of Lee Daniels’ Hulu Originals film, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, which inspired new and longtime jazz enthusiasts to learn more about the musical geniuses behind their favorite records.

Some of the best books about jazz don’t just chronicle the genre’s history in the 20th century and beyond — they also pull back the curtain on the legends who built the musical style and the oft-heartbreaking stories that fueled their every note and melody.

Whether you’re lean towards East or West Coast styles, bebop, ragtime, or avant-garde sounds, w