RaveThe Washington PostNate Chinen has written a terrific book about the shape of contemporary jazz, and right now is a terrific time to read it ... Instead of looking for tidy torch-passings or binary clashes between competing schools and styles, his ecumenical ear glides across the entirety of the greater jazz ecosystem, listening for the good stuff ... The book’s arrival ultimately feels so well-timed ... you don’t have to sit around and wonder what it all sounds like. Just reach for that little computer in your pocket and press play ... Each album Chinen has chosen is worth at least one spin on your handy pocket computer ... Playing Changes encourages us to listen to jazz the same way we might try to live life: Start anywhere, go everywhere.
