Jazz Fusion: History and Repertory

Catalog description

This course will trace the evolution of the musical genre called jazz fusion, which emerged from the meeting, in the late 1960s and 1970s, of jazz, rock, blues, and funk, using listening examples, video clips, narratives and musical criticism. The role of its initial guiding force, Miles Davis, will be explored, along with the work of those who influenced its beginnings: British blues-inflected rock and Jimi Hendrix, American blues, rhythm and blues, and early funk. Particular attention will be on the participants in Miles Davis' seminal "Bitches Brew" sessions and early touring bands - and the groups that they spawned, including Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, and Chick Corea. Covers the same material as A MUS 229 but on a more advanced level. In addition to course work required in A MUS 229, students engage in musical analysis, additional readings in musicology, and complete a more extensive final paper. Only one of A MUS 229 or A MUS 329 may be taken for credit.