MUS 4301JAZZ HISTORY I: AN AMERICAN ART FORM

Catalog

To quote Wesley Morris, “Black music, forged in captivity, became the sound of complete artistic freedom. It also became the sound of America.” This course is an overview of the American jazz tradition from its roots in nineteenth-century slave songs, minstrelsy and ragtime until about 1950. Along the way, we will discuss styles such as traditional New Orleans jazz, jazz during the Harlem Renaissance, the Swing Era, Latin influences, and Bebop. At all times we will concentrate on the contributions of people of color, how this music was disseminated, and how different societal strata viewed this music. Upper-division general elective. Also fulfills an elective requirement in the African and African-American Studies program. [UD UCA Core: D]