When it comes to music reference books, few, if any, have an air of authority that can touch The Penguin Guide. First published in 1992 and updated every other year since, The Penguin Guide is long, deep, wide, detailed, and, more often than not, right on the money. That its entries were all written by two people, UK aficionados Richard Cook (who passed away in 2007) and Brian Morton, makes its achievements that much more impressive. These two not only listened to and catalogued many thousands of jazz records, they somehow had the time and motivation to compile thoughts on each into a well-organized and readable account of the wide-ranging music’s knotty history. Versed in both the avant-garde (the writing on free improviser Derek Bailey’s work is especially astute) and jazz roots (they are experts on Louis Armstrong), Cook and Morton offer both the ultimate roadmap for newbies and a sure-fire argument-starter for old jazz heads. It’s safe to assume that no single jazz guide will ever touch this one. –Mark Richardson
