26:561:501,502Jazz Historiography (3,3) Not a history of jazz, but an intensive examination of the way jazz history has been written and how statements became accepted as facts. Involves research and writing projects aimed at developing new approaches to jazz historiography. Porter. Prerequisites: Should be taken in sequence. For students entering the program, the course should be taken first term. For other graduate students and advanced undergraduates, by permission. |
26:561:503Transcription and Analysis (3) Practical training in various ways of taking jazz off recordings, on instruments, on paper, and on computers. Students transcribe improvised solos, as well as full scores of small groups. Addresses problems and limitations of each procedure. Porter |
26:561:504Research Methods (3) Hands-on survey of a variety of research techniques used by biographers, historians, and journalists, but not yet in common use in the jazz field. Topics include government archives, genealogical research, web resources, Institute of Jazz Studies holdings, and newspaper research. Also provides practical experience in planning, conducting, preserving, and transcribing interviews. Porter |
26:561:505,506Graduate Topics I,II (3,3) Advanced topics of current interest to be announced. Usually the instructor devotes the term to an in-depth exploration of an individual artist, genre, locale, societal issue, or research problem. Topics include Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, stride piano, vocalists, big bands, and world music. Staff |
26:561:509,510Thesis I,II (3,3) Graduate students complete a thesis comprised of original research and analysis, under faculty supervision. 26:561:510 not required for most students. |
26:561:511Individual Studies (BA) |
26:561:512Charlie Parker (3) In following Parker`s biography from his birth in Kansas City until his death in New York, we discuss the most significant events in his life and analyze both live and studio recordings of his music. In addition to the specific contributions of Parker, the class examines more general issues, such as the relationship of bebop to preceding jazz styles and how the emergence of bebop influenced modern conceptions of jazz. |
26:561:513,514Jazz Theory and Analysis I,II (3,3) Reviews and strengthens students` knowledge of jazz music theory. Primary focus on music analysis, with particular attention to the different styles of jazz and how they can be understood in the context of their historical eras. While the focus is on the music as heard, jazz theory as it relates to performance will be discussed as well. Compares and contrasts various theories of tonal Western concert music with jazz theories. Martin |
26:561:515Stride Piano (3) Stride piano engages in an in-depth study of the important Harlem piano stylings of the 1920s. In addition to studying the pianists and their individual performance practices, the course examines such important issues as the development of early jazz out of ragtime; the comparative significance of New York versus New Orleans and Chicago, as a center of ragtime and early jazz; and the key issues of composition, improvisation, and arranging. Martin |
26:561:800Matriculation Continued (E1) |
