Jazz is considered a staple in American culture, but NIU history professor E. Taylor Atkins proved the art goes beyond U.S. borders.

Atkins recently was awarded the John Whitney Hall book prize for the best book written about Korea or Japan.

The Association for Asian Studies honors the best written English-language book about Japan or Korea for any discipline.

The book, “Blue Nippon: Authenticating Jazz in Japan,” chronicles the progression of jazz in Japan from the 1920s to the ’90s. Hall was a Japanese-American scholar who studied in Japan and compared American culture to Japanese culture in many of his works.

The Association for Asian Studies gives one award each spring, along with a $1,000 prize. Atkins’ book was nominated by Duke University Press, which published the book.

“Blue Nippon” was inspired by a love for jazz and interest in Japan, Atkins said.

The book explores the way the Japanese have thought about jazz and how they have performed it. It also addresses concerns about their performance level compared to other cultures.

The book also analyzes how the Japanese have tried to legitimize and authenticate jazz in their country. Atkins said Japan used jazz to modernize itself while trying to maintain a unique cultural identity.

“Japan has a reputation for borrowing and adapting from foreign cultures,” he said.

Atkins found that some Japanese don’t get beyond copying American music, while others incorporate elements of traditional Japanese music.

The Association of Asian Studies awarded Atkins because he incorporated Japan’s struggle with the West and its politics.

“‘Blue Nippon’ is a well-rounded account of the musical and cultural history of jazz, and in Japan, one of the many homes of that protean musical phenomenon,” the AAS Web site stated.

The book powerfully explores politics and culture and Atkins had the elegant sense not use the terms in the book, the Web site stated.

Atkins is in the process of writing more books. In October, he plans to release a book titled “Jazz Planet,” a collection of essays on jazz outside of the U.S. This book will include 13 essays about jazz from various countries.

Atkins also is working on an untitled book on Japanese policy toward Korean folk culture during Japan’s rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945.

Atkins teaches classes at NIU on Japanese history and popular culture, world history, modern Asia and oral history.