MILES DAVIS

A superb short biography in the Black Americans of Achievement series. Frankl (Charlie Parker, 1992, not reviewed, etc.) is focused, perceptive, and restrained—an effective combination—in his discussion, concentrating primarily on Davis's music. In the dozens of names mentioned, however, comes an indirect history of modern jazz. Apart from occasional stylistic infelicities, the prose is unpretentious and efficient. Above all, Frankl is very good at describing different musical styles and ideas, and these descriptions form the backbone of the biography (with one strange exception: There is no explicit description of bebop). With telling black-and-white photographs on every third or fourth page, this work can be recommended as an introduction to readers in the middle grades and beyond. (discography, chronology, bibliography, index). (Biography. 11+)