MUSIC 331 JAZZ: HISTORY AND ANALYSIS
Professor Marc Seales/ Music Building #14 phone: 543
-1231/no emails
Office hours: Friday @ 9:am-10: am by appointment.
Teaching Assistant: Mr. James Morford
Office Hours and location: TBA
Monday-Friday 10:30am to 11:20 am are in Brechemin
Auditorium (Room 124)
Textbook (required; sold in the University Bookstore) Jazz by Scott DeVeaux and Gary Giddins
Spring 2012
My objective is to give you an appreciation of jazz styles and the culture
associated with jazz through a historical survey of jazz. Jazz is not only a
"style" or "kind" of music; it is a “culture” or
“subculture” whose place in American culture has evolved. Knowledge of music
and music terminology is not required in this class. You will be learning some
basic musical terms just to help understand the things we are listening for.
One thing everyone should be prepared to spend plenty of time listening to the
musical examples. If you can't make a lecture, you are responsible for getting
the information from your classmates. *
LISTENING EXAMPLES: Online/ Details later.
GRADING and EXAMS: 2 exams, (1 midterm and a final) worth 75 points each and 2
quizzes on the readings worth 10 points each. The exams are not cumulative. You
will need a mark-sense form (“scantron”) for the
exams and quizzes. 2 jazz concert reviews worth 25 each (one jazz review due at
the midterm 1 date, the 2nd due on the last day of class.)
There will be extra credit (10 points each concert) by attending additional
concerts from my concert list.
CONCERT REVIEWS: All of the reviews should be
presented in neat organized fashion. Typed or computer generated, it should be
no longer than 2 pages single-spaced. Each review must have proof
of attendance, like a ticket stub from a concert or a signature from one of the participants of the performance. A list of concerts/performances will be presented in class
that will be acceptable for review. In writing your paper, please be as
observant and detailed as possible about the musical performance. Late papers
are not accepted. * Plagiarized papers will be given ''0'' credit and possible
disqualification from class.
TOPICS SCHEDULE:
1. Defining “jazz.”
Part 1: Chapters 1 and 2/ Listening 1: Discuss the elements of jazz, the jazz
musician and defining key musical terms.
2. Roots of Jazz, Early New
Orleans Jazz. : Part 1 Chapters 3-6 Listening 1: We will primarily
be looking at the early blues and jazz performers such as Louis Armstrong,
Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, James P. Johnson, etc. and talking about
their contributions to the music.
3. Swing Era. Part
3; Chapters 7-10; Listening 1 and 2: At
this time we will be looking at the rise of the saxophone, big bands and the
main architects of this time period; Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Art Tatum,
etc.
4. Midterm Exam : April 23,
25 or 27.
5. Bebop and Its
Relatives. Listening 2 and 3: Part 4, Chapter 11 Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and the rise of "modern
jazz".
Cool.
Chapter 12, 13, Lennie Tristano, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Miles Davis and
the evolution of "cool".
Hard Bop and Funky. Listening 3 and 4; Chapter 12, 13, and 16: Art Blakey,
Horace Silver and the Detroit- Philadelphia connection?
7. Miles Davis and Post-Bop. Listening
3, 3b and 4: Chapter 14 The Evolution of Miles' music and the significant
impact he has had on jazz. Bill Evans.
8. John Coltrane:
Listening 3 and 3b: Chapter 14
9.
Free Music;
the Avant-Garde.
Listening 3 and 4: Part 5
Chapter 15, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and
Albert
Ayler
10. Contemporary. (Fusion,
jazz-rock) Listening 4 and 4b: Chapters17, 18, 19:
Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, etc.
11. Review for
the Final Exam: June 3 and 4
12. Final Exam:
8:30-10:20 June 4, 2012
Thank You.
Prof. Marc
Seales
* Some
changes may be made to this syllabus later. All dates are subject to change and
are just guides to the time frame for the class with the exception of the final
exam date.