MUS 304: Jazz Appreciation

Welcome

Jazz is an art form that is uniquely tied to social issues in the United States. The roots of jazz are in the rhythmic syncopation and melodic interpretation of the African-American culture. Classical form and harmonic elements came from the Western European musical tradition. The Latin influence added new instruments and rhythmic styles. Jazz is tied to the social fabric of modern culture just as it grew out of the intermixing of these three traditions of music making. This course covers the stylistic characteristic that set jazz apart from classical music and popular music.

Throughout the course, the four key elements of jazz—syncopated rhythm, use of recurring bass lines, key harmonic or vertical structures with distinct colors, and improvisation—will be superimposed on the roots of jazz and the development of the several jazz styles.

Like any music appreciation class, the study of jazz must be more than words and pictures. You must hear the sounds to really know the music. By learning to predict the structures and the possible twists and turns the artist may take, you will really savor the essence of this special art form. By learning to listen closely, you will vastly increase your enjoyment of jazz and all music. Close listening is a valuable skill that you will keep for the rest of your life.

The study of jazz will enhance your social awareness as well. The racial, economic, and social history of this uniquely American art form will become very real for you. You will understand the important part the lives of the performers played in the development of jazz, and how jazz expresses the cultural as well as the personal experiences of jazz artists.

top of page

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to

• identify the elements of jazz
• define the differences between styles of jazz, popular music, and classical art music
• identify the different styles of jazz and the relationship of each to American history and culture 
• discuss how African-American, Latin, and Western European experiences influenced jazz
• identify the major artists associated with the various style periods in jazz, and how they influenced the art
• aurally recognize (know them when you hear them) many of the "standards" of the jazz canon
• discuss your own listening choices as they relate to the elements of music
• demonstrate, through a research paper, knowledge of the socioeconomic conditions present during a jazz style period of your choice.

top of page

Required Materials

The text for this course is 

Tanner, Megill, and Gerow, Jazz, 10th edition. McGraw-Hill (2005). A CD-ROM comes with the text.

Also required are the following audio CDs:

2 Compact Discs to Accompany Jazz, 10th edition.

Additional Compact Disk to Accompany Jazz, 10th edition.

These can be obtained from the Higher Grounds bookstore at the Friday Center either by ordering online or by printing and mailing the book order form.

You are required to have a computer with a CD-ROM drive in order to play the CD-ROM that accompanies the text. Of course, you must have a player for the audio CDs as well.

For the final exam, you must bring a portable CD player to the test site for the listening portion of the exam.

top of page

How to Study

There are six units in the course. Each unit contains an introduction, objectives, a listening assignment, guides to each chapter in the text with additional listening examples, a unit self-test, and a written assignment.

The most important part of your study will be listening closely to each example. It's a good idea to listen to the assigned examples for a unit before you begin reading, just to give you an aural idea of what the text is talking about. 

Listening to the examples once will not be sufficient. You should listen repeatedly until you feel comfortable with the concepts illustrated by the examples. 

Use the CD-ROM that came with your text. It contains visually entertaining material that reinforces what you've read. The CD-ROM is an excellent way to explore and understand the rich history of jazz.

I highly recommend that you use the extensive online support offered by the textbook publisher at the Jazz Online Learning Center. Bookmark this site. It contains very good chapter summaries, slide shows, and quizzes, as well as listening guide software. This software allows you use the text's listening guides (see an example on page 26) interactively. Using this software, you can play a track on one of your CDs and the software will highlight a descriptive narrarative. To download the software,

1. Go to the Jazz Online Learning Center.
2. At the left, select Listening Software.
3. Click the link to download the listening software for your operating system.
4. When prompted, select save file to disk, and save it to your desktop. You must have WinZip for Windows systems or StuffIt for Macintosh systems installed on your computer in order to extract the software. If you don't, you can download either program for free from the UNC-Chapel Hill ITS Shareware Distribution site.
5. Launch the program. Now you can insert a CD into your computer's CD drive and the guide will automatically highlight what you're hearing. You can, as well, move to specific parts of the track and select highlighted words to access the glossary while you're listening.
6. Here's a screen shot:

The sound quality depends, of course, on your computer speakers. For that reason, you may prefer listening to the CDs on your regular sound system and following along using the sound system's second counter and the listening guides printed in your text.

Regardless of how you listen, the main thing is to listen more than once. You cannot understand a piece on one hearing.

After you have completed all the chapters in a unit, visit the recommended Web sites. Take your time and follow links that interest you. After that, you are ready to attempt the unit self-test.

top of page

Self-tests

At the end of each unit, after you have read the chapters, listened closely to the examples, and viewed the recommended Web sites, take the unit self-test. The self-tests are automatically graded and the correct answers shown to you. The results do not influence your final grade, and I do not collect your scores. You are encouraged to retake these tests as many times as you wish—do not expect to know all the answers the first time. All final exam questions will be taken verbatim from the unit self-tests. Therefore, it's to your advantage to retake the tests until you know all the information.

The self-tests are administered via Blackboard. See Course Mechanics for details on using Blackboard.

After successfully taking the self-test, you are ready to begin writing your unit report.

top of page

Unit Reports

Your report should be written as a culminating act, after you have successfully completed the self-test. These reports are the primary means for me to evaluate your understanding of the material, but writing the report is meant to be a learning experience as well. By putting your understanding of the text material in your own words, you will build a solid knowledge base. 

Reports will be in three sections. The first two sections are assigned topics related to the chapters in that unit. The third section is a Web site comparison. You will compare what two sites offer on the same topic or person in terms of content, visual and audio appeal, and quality of information.

The unit reports must be in narrative form, from 1,200 to 1,500 words long. Specific instructions are given for each unit report. Required terms and concepts will be listed. These must be used in the report, putting the first use in bold. It may help you to look ahead at the terms that will be required for your unit report before you read the assigned chapters and highlight them in the text as you read along. 

Example of a partial report (bold-face words or phrases would be from the given list of terms for the particular unit)

One early style of jazz is still played today in both jazz and popular music—the blues. This form or style of music arose from a merging of the African-American and Western European musical traditions. Work songs and field and prison hollers come from the African-American tradition. These were unaccompanied, and often gave voice to the suffering and hardships of African-American culture in a racist society.

The melodic material often involved a five-note scale or pentatonic scale. Performers also used blue notes. Blue notes refer to the bends and twists on pitches the performer uses to enhance the quality of the music. It might be said to be the inflection of the person's soul in the music.

The formal quality of the blues is iambic pentameter. This poetic meter has five accented syllables and five unaccented syllables in each line. The formal structure called for repetition of three lines in this poetic meter. When the text did not fill a complete phrase, the instrumentalist would put in a break or fill.

W.C. Handy is considered the father of the blues. He wrote "The Memphis Blues" in 1909. The blues had been around for many years, but this was the first of many songs called the blues. Ragtime had been the biggest seller prior to this. The following Web site has a short biography of W.C. Handy, http://www.jass.com/Others/wchandy.html. It is interesting in that both his father and grandfather were ministers. This is not unusual as early blues is associated with gospel and spiritual singing. ... [go on to compare sites]

The above is only an example. Please put these reports in your own words and relate them to your own listening experiences. 

Each of the six units has specific instructions for writing and submitting your report, but the general format is to submit your complete report as a Microsoft Word (.doc) attachment to me and to Student Services by clicking the "Submit Assignment" button and including the identifying subject line described in the instructions. The Submit Assignment button opens an e-mail message that is pre-addressed to me and Student Services. (The e-mail message containing your assignments must have both addresses on to to make sure you get credit for your work.) Be sure to keep a back-up copy in a safe place.

You will be given the opportunity to rewrite your first report for a grade replacement.

In all written assignments, you must cite any idea that is not your own, as well as any quoted or paraphrased passage, to avoid the charge of plagiarism. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and cite the source. There are many online resources to help you cite sources correctly; UNC-Chapel Hill's Citing Information is one.

top of page

Research Paper

Begin work on your research paper after you have turned in your Unit 4 report. Pick one of the jazz style periods listed and complete a four-part paper as outlined below. I recommend that you pick the period you are least familiar with—this will help fill in any gaps in your knowledge prior to the final examination.

Jazz style periods:

• 1910 – 1930
• 1930 – 1950
• 1950 – 1970
• 1970 – 1990

Three sections of the research paper:

Section I
Define the benchmark jazz-related styles inclusive in the period chosen. Discuss why and how the music changed from the style period prior to the one chosen. Define and discuss the forms of music in your period. Tell about the composers and performers, along with important performance venues and geographical differences. Conclude with a brief discussion of why and how the music changed to the following style period.

Section II
Define the socioeconomic conditions of the style period selected. Discuss the politics of the period, list powerful economic centers in the country, Tell about the social norms within cultures of your choice, and define the major events and ideas that shaped culture as a whole.

Section III
What would your professional life be like during the time period you've chosen? Use your actual profession or your major (if you are in a university course of study), or choose a profession you would like to be in. Discuss the key elements of this profession during the time period chosen. This will be easier for some professions than others. If you picked the time period 1930-1950 and you are a computer programmer, you will want to discuss events and inventions that would eventually make it possible for you to do the work you do today. I realize that many individuals are in professions that did not exist in earlier time periods, but there are always connections you can make. If you need some advice please contact me early in your planning.

Section IV
The closing section of your paper should document how your study of jazz in this course has affected your listening habits. There has to be some change in how you hear your favorite music, or how you relate to music in motion pictures or on television. This does not have to be about jazz. The study of music and listening will change the way you perceive all music in your environment.

Length: 2,400–3,000 words

References: You must cite at least eight Web sites (a Web site is a collection of pages authored as a unit; do not cite eight different pages in one Web site). When you reference your Web sites, give me the "http://" part of the URL so I can easily click on the links. In addition to the eight Web sites, you can also reference your textbook, but no other books. You may use any accepted reference style (MLA preferred).

Grading: You must receive a grade of C or better or you will be asked to rewrite the paper on another style period of my choice. A course grade will not be given until this requirement is met.

top of page

Grading

Your grade will be determined by the following:

1. six unit reports, 10 percent each, for a total of 60 percent  
2. research paper, 10 percent
3. final exam: written section, 15 percent  
4. final exam: listening section, 15 percent 

top of page

Final Exam

The final exam is in two parts, each worth 15 percent of your grade for the course. 

The first part has seventy-five multiple-choice, true/false, or fill-in-the-blank questions, all selected from your unit self-tests (in other words, you will have seen every one of these questions before). You may not use your textbook or your notes for this part of the exam.

The second part has twelve audio examples selected from the Listening Assignments of the lessons. You will be asked to identify the performer or composer and the style, and place it in a decade. You may use your notes for this portion of the test, but NOT YOUR TEXTBOOK. To introduce you to the format of the listening portion of the final exam, a practice test is provided in the final exam review.

The two-hour final exam must be scheduled and supervised. You are required to bring a portable CD player to the test site.

top of page

Course Mechanics

Blackboard

Your unit self-tests are accessed through a software package called Blackboard, and you will need to log in to Blackboard using a unique identifier known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You'll Ever Need) and Onyen password.

If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow the instructions for creating an Onyen. If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), you will find help on the Onyen Web site.

Use your Onyen to log into Blackboard, then click on the “MUS 304: Introduction to Jazz” link. You will see navigation button on the left taking you to the self-tests.

If you have problems accessing Blackboard once you have an Onyen, contact Carol McDonnell at the Friday Center. If you have other technical problems with Blackboard, use the Help button, call 919-962-HELP, or notify the Instructional Designer at the Friday Center.

If you have never used Blackboard before, you may want to visit the Blackboard Student Help Page.

Sound files

Embedded in this course, and on many of the recommended Web sites, are links to sound files. When you click on the link, a "player" will open and play the music through your computer speakers.

Music is digitized and stored in several different file formats, including .mid, .wav, .ram, and so on. There are several free software players. You probably already have one, but if not, you can download and install a free player. There are several; here are two:

• Windows Media Player
• RealOne Player

At some point in the installation it will ask you what kind of sound files you want the player to open when you click on them. Select ALL to simplify things.

E-mail

E-mail is the primary means of communication in this online course, so it is essential that I have your correct address. Send changes in your e-mail address to both me and Student Services.

It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you send to your instructor via e-mail. If your instructor doesn't receive your work, you must have a copy of the e-mail with the attached file, indicating the date sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment. It is your responsibility to maintain copies of your sent e-mails, as there is no way to guarantee that any e-mail message will be delivered.

Please check your e-mail software to see how it manages sent and saved messages. Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You may need to send yourself a copy of your e-mailed assignment at the same time you send it to your instructor, or you may need to print a copy of the e-mail message and any attachments to keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know how to save a copy of all work that you submit to your instructor and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end of the course.

Submitting Work

You will send your assignments to be graded by clicking a "Submit Assignment" button that opens a pre-addressed e-mail to your instructor and the Self-paced Courses office. Submit Assignment buttons are located at the top of each course page and at the bottom of each unit report page. The e-mail message containing your assignment must go to both addresses to make sure you get credit for your work. Send each assignment as an attachment. In the subject line of the e-mail, enter "SPC MUS 304 assignment #" and your last name (example: SPC MUS 304 Assignment 3 Smith). By providing the assignment number and your name, you allow your instructor and Student Services to track your progress, and to keep your work separate from that of other students.

Other Questions

• Contact your instructor with questions regarding the content of the course and your progress. (There is an e-mail link at the top of every lesson page.) Please include “SpC MUS 304” in the subject line of your e-mail.
• Contact the Instructional Designer at the Friday Center about problems with this Web site, including bad links. Please include “SpC MUS 304” in the subject line of your e-mail.
• If you have any logistical questions as you work through the course (enrollment, credits, extensions, withdrawal, and so on), contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center for Continuing Education (phone 919-962-1134 or 800-862-5669).

top of page

How to Begin

1. Send me an e-mail and introduce yourself. Include a brief overview of your favorite music. 

2. Tour The House of Jazz.

3. Proceed to Unit 1. 

top of page

Course Outline

top of page