"Is Jazz Dead?" examines the state of jazz in America at the turn of the 21st century. In a recent 10-part documentary on Public Television, Ken Burns spent 8 out of 10 programs on jazz before World War II; only the last 2 shows covered five decades of creative work. Musicians themselves are returning to New Orleans, Swing, and Bebop styles, while the work of the '60s avant-garde and even '70s and '80s jazz-rock is roundly ignored. Meanwhile, global jazz musicians are creating new and exciting music that is just starting to be heard in the United States, offering a viable alternative to the rampant conservatism here. Stuart Nicholson's thought-provoking book offers an analysis of the American scene, how it came to be so stagnant, and what it can do to create a new level of creativity. This book is bound to be controversial among jazz purists and musicians; it will undoubtedly generate discussion about how jazz should grow now that it has become a recognized part of American musical history. "Is Jazz Dead?" dares to ask the question on all jazz fan's minds: Can jazz survivor as a living medium? And, if so, how?