"This is an anthology of biographies detailing the careers of over 1,000 musicians whose names are part of jazz history. All the musicians and vocalists given individual entries were born before 1920. Only musicians born or raised in the U.S.A. are included in this volume. Some musicians born before 1920 are deliberately excluded, on the grounds that most of their professional successes occurred after the demise of 'Swing Street.'"--from Introduction.