Drawing on a rich verbal tradition, bassist and jazz writer Bill Crow has culled stories from many sources, including the remarkable collection of oral histories compiled by the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, to paint fascinating and very human portraits of jazz musicians. Organized around such general topics as teaching and learning, life on the road, prejudice and discrimination, and the importance of a good nickname - Jazz Anecdotes shows the jazz world as it really is." "With its unique blend of sparkling dialogue and historical and social insight, Jazz Anecdotes will delight anyone who loves a good story. It offers a fresh perspective on the joys and hardships of a musician's life as well as a rare glimpse of the personalities who created America's most distinctive music.