Jazz History is designed to acquaint students with the formation and history of Jazz Music. This will include listening and distinguishing relationships among the major periods and stylists in Jazz. The goal of this course is to equip the student with the necessary skills and knowledge to have an appreciation of the different styles. This will be done through assigned reading, listening to music, analysis of transcribed solos, lectures, presentations, live performance attendance, and discussions. Students in this course will further evaluate jazz characteristics by presenting concepts found in transcribed solos by legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk,. Students will also give presentations on Big Band writing characteristics through score study of Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, and Count Basie (others as well). Students taking the course at the 300-level will be expected to do more in-depth research and give class presentations.
MUS 351 is not open to students who have taken MUS 251.