1. it describes the way a European country and its jazz scene impacted the jazz world in the US from the late 1940s onwards.
2. it analyzes how the distinctive meaning of this music was constructed, paying specific attention to the influence of record covers, liner notes, jazz criticism and how these different elements related to each other.
3. it follows the one-way travel of jazz from the US to Europe, as well as the journey back into the US -- showing along the way how national borders have affected history writing in jazz.
4. it shows how non-American, European jazz was relevant earlier than has generally been recognized in the established narratives.