A couple interesting comments on Jazz in Len Lyons book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums.
On a definition for Swing Jazz: The more basic a musical quality is, the less definable it is.
On Billie Holiday: She could transform the most banal pop ballad into a painfully intense, subtle work of art. She was the ultimate jazz singer, relying on a deeply honest delivery and an exquisite control of her rather small range.
Reference
Len Lyons, The 101 Best Jazz Albums: A History of Jazz on Records (New York, William Morrow and Company, 1980).
