Ratliff, Ben. The Jazz Ear: Conversations Over Music.(Brief article)(Book review)

* Ratliff, Ben. The Jazz Ear: Conversations Over Music. Times Bks. Holt. Nov. 2008. c.256p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-8050-8146-6. $25. MUSIC

Admirers of jazz should be deeply thankful for Ratliff, New York Times jazz critic and author of Coltrane: The Story of a Sound. Jazz is perhaps the most elusive art form to discuss and critique, and Ratliff's latest book fills a vacuum in the realm of understanding jazz. Originally published as a series in the New York Times, the 15 conversations presented here consist of Ratliff sitting down with such diverse and talented luminaries as Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, …