While this is an invaluable book for students of the bass, it is also of great interest to listeners wanting to learn more about the role of bass in jazz and its stylistic development. The book offers guidance on technique, practice methods, and theory and examines the styles of more than 70 prominent bassists throughout history with recommendations for further listening. There are biographies, interviews, transcriptions, a foreward by Ron Carter, and a companion CD with examples from the book as well as play-along tracks.

John Goldsby is a bassist, bandleader, composer, teacher, clinician, and the author of two instructional books, Bowing Techniques for the Improvising Bassist and Bass Notes. He also contributes to Bass Player magazine and Bass Professor. He is a member of the WDR-Cologne Radio Big Band and has recorded two CD’s as a leader, Viewpoint and Tale of the Fingers.