HISTORY OF JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Course Objective

• Given a recording of a jazz and contemporary music performance, students will correctly identify the style of the piece. Given the name of a jazz and contemporary music artist, students will identify the artist’s major contribution to the development of jazz and contemporary music
• Given specific identifying characteristics, students will differentiate between contrasting styles of jazz and contemporary music 
• Given the title of a specific trend in the history of , jazz and contemporary music, students will discuss its function in social and historical context.

Course Content

This course provides a general survey of the history of jazz and contemporary music from its origins to the present. This class will put emphasis on the stylistic and evolutionary development of the music and the significant contributors to jazz styles. Class time will be spent listening to, analyzing, and discussing a wide variety of recorded jazz performances.