Books

Compact discs are generally the gift of choice for the jazz enthusiast, but books and videos on jazz can be provocative and informative alternatives. Here are some of the year’s top books and videos, as selected by members of The Times’ jazz staff:

“The Black Music History of Los Angeles: Its Roots,” by Tom Reed, Black Accent Press ($60). Paging casually through the photographs and memorabilia in this uneven but fascinating survey of LA’s rich musical scene recalls what it must have been like to stroll down Central Avenue in the ‘40s. In addition to photographs--many previously unpublished--of Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington, there are captivating images of the Snow sisters (Valaida and Lavaida), Finger Smock and dozens of others.