Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
MUSI D001B
Course Title (CB02)
Music Appreciation: Jazz Styles
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Introduction to the discipline of music through American Jazz; from its multicultural origins to the present; listening skills and use of fundamental musical elements for distinguished jazz styles; social issues, noted performers, and technological advancements found in jazz.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course complements the existing GE music offerings of MUSI D001A, D001C, D001D, and D001E for transfer purposes; these units are acceptable for music majors. It belongs on the Music AA degree. It is UC and CSU transferable. It adds diversity and breadth to the music program, a multicultural perspective, and greater choices for both majors and non-majors.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GC1°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area C1 - ArtsApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGC1CSU GE Area C1 - ArtsApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG3AIGETC Area 3A - ArtsApproved

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D272. and ESL D273., or ESL D472. and ESL D473., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

In-class musical demonstrations by the instructor and/or students

In-class audio/visual examples

Live concert attendance

Assignments

  1. Assigned readings for book report.
  2. Assigned listening to musical examples accompanying the required worksheets for exam study.
  3. Activities
    1. Attend two live concerts.
    2. Observe 80 minutes of suggested jazz videos or Youtube performances per week.
    3. Weekly worksheets to be completed for exam study.
  4. Writing
    1. Write two concert reports. Reports are two pages in length and include objective description of the performance, the student's subjective reaction to the music, and a summary critique of the concert.
    2. Write summary paragraphs including personal opinion on each jazz video or Youtube log observed.
    3. Write assigned book report including title, author, synopsis of entire book, and personal opinion regarding content and quality.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Participation in class discussions
  2. Midterm and final exams consisting of objective and listening questions, evaluated for comprehension and analysis of course material

    and lectures.
  3. Two concert reports describing live performances and evaluated on content, grammar, and spelling.
  4. Written video reports/Youtube logs evaluated on content, grammar, and spelling from recommended videos in course statement and lectures.
  5. Jazz book report from recommended reading list found in the course statement evaluated on content, grammar, and spelling.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Classroom with piano, high fidelity audio-video playback system (for record, compact disk, mp3, DVD, YouTube access)
  • Extensive collection of audio and video recordings

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Gioia, Ted; "The History of Jazz" (2nd ed.), New York:Oxford University Press, 2011.
Farrington, Robert; Music 1B Worksheets #'s 1-9; °®¶¹´«Ã½ College Bookstore, 2016.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Gridley, Mark C., "Concise Guide to Jazz" (Seventh ed.), New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2013.
Harker, Brian. "Jazz: An American Journey" (First ed.), New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall, Inc. 2005.
Megill, Donald and Demory, Richard: Introduction to Jazz History (Sixth ed.), New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2003.
Martin, Henry and Waters, Keith. "Essential Jazz, the First 100 Years" (Second ed.), Belmont, CA: Thomson Schirmer, 2008 or non-media (third ed.) 2015.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Recognize and describe the common elements of music found in jazz and other musical genres; distinguish the musical elements that allows jazz to stand alone as a unique art form.
  • Assess the musical and cultural roots of jazz from both a stylistic and historical perspective.
  • Recognize and describe the early dance-oriented jazz styles and relate them to the major creators and musicians of each style.
  • Recognize and describe the modern concert-oriented jazz styles and relate them to the major creators and musicians of each style.
  • Appraise and assess the technological innovations in the record and musical instrument industries, along with the contributions of women and musicians world-wide that have influenced jazz up to the present.

CSLOs

  • Employ a basic vocabulary of common music terms to describe observations of recorded and live music.

  • Recognize individual instruments and voices and the various ensembles in which they are used.

Outline

  1. Recognize and describe the common elements of music found in

    jazz and other musical genres; distinguish the musical elements that allows jazz to stand alone as a unique art form.
    1. Organization and basic elements of musical sound
      1. Melody: pitch and rhythms components, phrases.
      2. Harmony: chords, progressions.
      3. Rhythm: duration, tempo, and meter
      4. Form: organization of music, AABA 32-bar song form.
      5. Timbre: quality of sound, tone quality of instruments
      6. Dynamics: volume of sound, loud or soft.
      7. Tempo: rate of speed of music, slow to fast.
      8. Texture: monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic.
      9. Voices and instruments: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings.
    2. Jazz elements
      1. Improvisation: spontaneously creating new pitches and rhythms that agree with chord progression.
      2. Jazz interpretation: adding personal expression to jazz melodies by adding notes and vibrato, bending pitches.
      3. Swing rhythm: 2/3 to 1/3 ratio of eighth notes.
      4. Syncopation: jazz first style of music to emphasize the weak part of the beat or up-beat rhythms.
      5. Sounds associated with jazz: bending, growling, and "ghosting" pitches; falls, glissandi and "doits".
      6. Jazz forms: AABA, Blues, and Rondo.
    3. Listening skills for jazz
      1. Role of the rhythm section: Piano, Bass, and Drums.
      2. Rhythmic styles found in jazz: swing, ballad, latin, fusion, free, and jazz waltz.
      3. Instruments and ensembles in jazz: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and rhythm section in big bands and combos.
      4. Voices in jazz: soloists and ensembles.
  2. Assess the musical and cultural roots of jazz from both a stylistic and historical perspective.
    1. Musical and cultural roots
      1. African: polyrhythm, pentatonic scale, call and response, vocal traditions.
      2. European: instruments, melody, harmony, and form.
    2. Pre-jazz sources
      1. Congo Square and Creole musicians: exchange African and European musical ideas.
      2. Gospel music: vocal traditions, chord progressions, and organ influence jazz.
      3. Minstrel musicians: expose Americans to African-American music.
      4. Military bands: march form, instruments, and musical training for soldiers.
    3. Blues music
      1. African-American based music from 1870's in Mississippi.
      2. Musical elements: 12-bar form, AAB lyrics, blues scale.
      3. Rural Blues and noted musicians: Robert Johnson, Huddy Ledbetter, and Big Bill Broonzy.
      4. Urban Blues and noted musicians: Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters and B.B. King.
  3. Recognize and describe the early dance-oriented jazz styles and relate them to the major creators and musicians of each style.
    1. Ragtime
      1. Keyboard style; in march form; no improvisation; bass and chords in left hand with syncopated melody in right hand.
      2. Scott Joplin, Composer ; Jelly Roll Morton, Performer
      3. First heard and danced to in1895 in Sedalia, Missouri
    2. New Orleans Dixieland
      1. Instrumentation from marching bands in 1897.
      2. Collective improvisation; blues and gospel based; flat-four rhythm.
      3. Trumpet Kings; Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet (first saxophonist).
      4. Storyville closes down in 1919 and 1990's updated bands such as Dirty Dozen Brass Band continue.
    3. Chicago-style Dixieland, 1920's
      1. Innovations: drum-set, bass, and piano now in rhythm section; saxophone added; based on "pop" tunes of the day; accents on 2+4; more solo improvisation.
      2. The black migration north; white musicians and women become involved in playing jazz.
      3. Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer; Louis and Lily Hardin Armstrong; Mary Lou Williams; Austin High Gang.
    4. Boogie-Woogie (1920's) and Stride Piano (1930's)
      1. Boogie-Woogie was the dance to the music of the "Western Roll"; blues-based; improvised riffs in right hand; "full-moving chords" or "walking bass lines" in left hand.
      2. Clarence "Pine top" Smith, Jimmy Yancey, and Meade Lux: Lewis, pianists.
      3. Stride: based on standard "pop" tunes of the day; AABA forms with modern chord substitutions and reharmonization of melodies.
      4. James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, pianists.
    5. Swing Era Big Bands, 1930-42
      1. Kansas City: blues- based and riff-oriented; Benny Moten and Count Basie (Billie Holilday, vocals).
      2. New York: sophisticated arrangements; Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb (Ella Fitzgerald, vocalist), and Jimmy Lunceford.
      3. Duke Ellington: Pianist; jungle sounds, mood music, and large compositions (jazz mass, two concertos); wrote for individuals in his band which inspired great loyalty.
      4. Billy Strayhorn: arranger for Ellington; first openly gay musician in jazz; wrote "Take the A-Train".
      5. White dance bands: Glenn Miller (Army Air Force Band during world War II), Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw (Mel Torme, vocalist).
      6. Benny Goodman: Clarinetist; first integrated band; first band to perform in Carnagie Hall; developed small combo out of big band.
      7. Billy Tipton: Pianist; cross-dressed as male in order to perform in jazz bands.
  4. Recognize and describe the modern concert-oriented jazz styles and relate them to the major creators and musicians of each style.
    1. Bebop (1943-50) and Modern Jazz
      1. Fast tempos to discourage dancers; jazz becomes concert music as audience is encouraged to listen to artistic solos.
      2. New jagged melodies over standard chord changes; "bombs" and accents in drums; walking bass lines; higher chord extensions.
      3. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and Max Roach.
      4. Sociological influences on Bebop and modern jazz.
    2. Cool Jazz (1950-55)
      1. All modern styles tend to be a reaction "against" the previous one by jazz musicians and fans.
      2. Medium swing tempi; classical influences with odd meters, contrapuntal melodies, forms and instruments; Third Stream.
      3. Miles Davis, Modern Jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, and Gil Evans.
    3. Funky and Hard Bop (1956-63)
      1. Afro-Cuban rhythmic influences; back to blues and gospel chord progressions; organ introduced.
      2. Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Smith, Cannonball Adderley Quintet.
      3. Hard Bop as new innovations on Bebop; John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, and Elvin Jones
    4. Free Jazz (1964-69)
      1. How the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam War, Rock and Roll influence American society in the 1960's.
      2. Jazz musicians react by creating new, spontaneous music through freedom of expression, new textures with African flutes and percussion instruments, and a movement away from set melodies, forms, chord progressions, and rhythms.
      3. Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Pharaoh Sanders, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Charlie Haden.
    5. Jazz Fusion (1970-present)
      1. Fusing Rock musical elements with those from Jazz; electronic innovations for bass, drums, keyboards, and guitar sound effects.
      2. 1970's rock bands with jazz influences such as Blood, Sweat, and Tears; Chicago; and Chase.
      3. Miles Davis, Weather Report, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Steps Ahead, Jean Luc Ponty, Freddie Hubbard, David Sanborn, and the Crusaders.
    6. Contemporary Big Bands (1948-present)
      1. Modern jazz innovations such as more complex chord progressions and improvisation; electronic instruments added; rock and latin rhythms in addition to swing.
      2. Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Don Ellis, Maynard Ferguson, Thad Jones- Mel Lewis, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Dave Eshelman's Jazz Garden Big Band, Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.
    7. Modern Vocal Jazz (1948-present)
      1. Scat singing is vocal improvisation; Eddie Jefferson's concept of vocalese is adding new lyrics to existing instrumental jazz standards.
      2. Groups: Four Freshman;Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross; Manhattan Transfer; Take Six; New York Voices; and Singers Unlimited.
      3. Soloists: Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Mel Torme, Bobby McFerrin, Harry Connick, Jr. Al Jarreau, and Diana Krall.
  5. Appraise and assess the technological innovations in the record and musical instrument industries, along with the contributions of women and musicians world-wide that have influenced jazz up to the present.
    1. Record Industry
      1. First Jazz recordings by Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1917 and first blues recordings by Mamie Smith in 1920.
      2. Records were either 78 rpm or 45 rpm only allowing songs to be up to 3:30 minutes in length.
      3. 1948 brings 33rpm long play records which allows jazz artists to record much longer cuts and hence longer solos. Television also developed in this year which also brought new media exposure for artists.
      4. The 1960's brings the ability to have 24-32 tracks in the recording boards in studios which gives jazz musicians the ability to "over-dub" passages and solos in addition to engineers being able to isolate parts of the drum set and give each instrument their own track for better audio quality. Reverb and tape loops also developed.
      5. 1980's brings digital recording which allows easier editing and longer duration of music on compact disks; from 35 minutes on 33 lp records to 73 on CD's.
      6. How mp3 downloads and "soundcloud" on the internet in the 1990's through the present affect the music industry.
    2. Musical Instrument Industry
      1. Parts of the drums set invented in the 1920's.
      2. Electrical amplification of the guitar and basic sound system for vocalists and soloists in the 1930's.
      3. Electric pianos developed in late 1950's and reach peak quality with Fender-Rhodes pianos in 1970's.
      4. Electric bass developed in 1950's and used in jazz fusion in the1970's up to present.
      5. Synthesizers developed in 1970's and upgraded in 1980's with Yamaha DX7's and others.
      6. Drum machines and computerized drum programming developed in 1980's.
      7. Electronic Wind and Brass Instruments (EWI's EBI's) developed in 1980's by Yamaha which are synthesized saxophones and trumpets.
    3. Women in Jazz
      1. Female vocalists present throughout the history of jazz and blues; instrumentalists have been dominated by male musicians.
      2. Sexism world-wide with examples in Japan, Uganda, Europe and the United States.
      3. Jazz education in schools and colleges from 1960's to the present has given women more opportunities.
      4. Toshiko Akiyoshi, Maria Schneider, Ingrid Jensen, Mary Fettig, Joanne Brackeen, Elaine Elias, Susan Muscarella, Marion McPartland, and Patrice Rushen.
    4. World music influence in Jazz
      1. Brazil: bossa novas and sambas; Marcos Silva, Flora Purim and Airto, and Toninho Horta .
      2. Argentina: Tangos with master composer and bandeon performer, Astor Piazzola.
      3. Cuba: Salsa and Meringues; Paquito d'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, and Irakere.
      4. Puerto Rico: timbales and extensive use of congas; Poncho Sanchez and Tito Puente.
      5. Trinidad/ Tobago: steel drums (pans); Andy Narell
      6. Japan: koto and bamboo flutes combined with western instruments; Hiroshima and Terumasa Hino
      7. Iran: Middle Eastern scales and instruments combining with American jazz; Hafez Modirzadeh.
Back to Top